Subject 01
by Chaos-And-Mischief
Summary: Around her 18th birthday, the mysterious agent known as Subject 01, begins to question everything, from SHIELD's role in her life and even her abilities. In the search for true identity, her only friend is taken by the God of Mischief, the motive unknown to her and her new allies, the Avengers. As the world crumbles, she realizes what she must fight for and who she must fight for.
1. The Agent, The Scientist and The Python

**HEY! **  
**it's been a while, I know, I know. **  
**Young and Foolish was a bit of a flop so I'm taking a break from that and I now am happy to present my latest slice from my imagination. **  
**This has been the one i've spent AGES on and now am only uploading chapter at a time (: **  
**I reallyreally hope you enjoy this one! **

**PLLEAAASEEE review this one, i would love as much feedback as possible! :D **  
**I'm proud of this one and it would mean alot to hear what you all think (: **

**Chaos xxxx**

...

He didn't see it coming.

He didn't expect what he knew.

He didn't know they achieved all they had wished for.

Hawkeye stood on the rooftop of a building, gazing at the auburn hair girl who was hiding, out of breath on the streets of New York, blending in at a café shop. She had been running. Running from everything, everyone, but more importantly him. She was a quick thinker, but now he knew why she was the way she was.

"Shoot, Agent Barton." The crackle of the radio buzzed into his ear, effecting his trail of thought, his thoughts clouded by what his commanding officer had just told him. "Shoot."

"No." He replied, emotionless. This was their problem, not his.

...

_3 weeks before_

_..._

_Beep. Beep_.

I groan loudly at the alarm clock next to my bed, the routine kicks in once again. I slide out of bed and land perfectly into my slippers, stretch, yawn and head into the shower. My skin welcoming the warm water, I'm immediately more awake. I dry off, dry my orange hair and put it into a ponytail, throw my black shirt and leather leggings and look at myself in the mirror. I observe my green eyes, my light orange hair, my pink lips and tell myself it's going to be a good day. I head out of my room, on the 10th floor on the SHIELD skyscraper located in the centre of Manhattan, grabbing an apple on my way down and I walk to science section of the headquarters, the 8th floor. Being a 'gifted' child has its downside, the hours of training, blood tests and…the all-round formality. People around here call me 'Zero-one', whatever that means.

When I awoke in a hospital bed and saw Dan sitting above me, 2 years ago, I was beyond confused, then to have the Director of SHIELD tell me I was a gifted child, I was excited. But then I was thrown into this hard work…I regretted being gifted. I was past glaring eyes, which I never understand, of agents and several glass windows until I reach where one of my only friends is, Dan.

"What's up Danny?" I say as I see the ginger haired scientist, peeking into a microscope, wearing his usual white lab coat, smart shirt and black trousers. Dan was the first person I saw when I woke up in hospital and we've been close ever since. Dan is only 24 too, nearest to my mere 17 years of life.

"Ceiling." He responded dully, he was clearly focusing on the microscope in front of him.

"Original. Really original." I laugh at him and he pokes up from his microscope and smiles at me.

"You okay today?" Most specialist cover agents like me have codenames, but not me. Zero-One, thats mine, I… I never quite understand it, but its better than nothing.

"Not bad, another day of training isn't exactly what I call a fun day. They just don't understand how I work best in training."

"What do you mean?" He said looking into my eyes, his blue ones looking calm and soft.

"I feel like they just…don't have the right stuff for me to reach my abilities, does that make any sense?" I look up at him confused, he smiles back at me. He always seems to understand me, my frustration with training is I just can't get the right method right. A gun, just doesn't feel right in my hand, although my aim is remarkable, same with a sword and…stupidly a spear either. Being the youngest one here has its advantages though, I have the time to try everything out. Everyone in the recruitment programme is at least a few years older than me and I even excel them in combat. The nearest one to my age is the only one that challenges me slightly.

"Well it's about to get a lot more fun, I need some blood to check you're okay." Dan breaks my thoughts

"What? I had a blood test the other week!" I say sitting on top of a lab desktop I offer him my right arm, he reaches over and picks up a syringe and stabs my arm and draws a small amount of my crimson blood.

"You didn't even flinch this time." He said with a tone of amusement in his voice.

"I'm used to it now Dan." I huff and stand on the ground as he looks at me. He smiled sadly at me. "What?" My face remains emotionless, hiding my confusion at the look he is giving me.

"Just you, Zero-One." He ruffles my hair and I nudge him with my elbow. He is like my older brother, supportive, fun and understanding. He looks down at his watch. "Shit, it's 8.34, you're late."

"Oh," I begin to run out of the door. "Bye Dan!"

I ran full pelt down the halls, and eventually I clamber into the classroom I have been assigned for my first lesson, Strategic Methods of Combat, SMC for short. The Agent taking the lesson, Agent Greene, looks at me in horror, like I'd just kicked someone in the class. All eyes turn to me.

"Sorry, Professor Stone had to-"

"Enough said, take your seat Zero-One." Agent Greene directs me to the only spare seat in the small class-room. She proceeds to talk about where to aim when wanting to throw punches, kicks and not kill the person in question. Questions are asked around about the purposes of not killing a target and the lesson stops after 2 hours, 2 very long hours. "Before you all leave, at 3.15, on the dot, a special agent will be coming in to help you all in training."

"Whos that then?" heckles a training agent from the back.

"Agent Clint Barton, Hawkeye." The class murmurs with excitement and shock. I just sit and look around the classroom. "All understand? Now head off to the next session you have, quickly. Dismissed, Agents." Greene ends the lesson with these parting words, as they all do. I wait til the class has filed out completely until I grab a word with Agent Greene.

"Excuse me, Agent Greene? May I ask you something?" I say shyly and quietly

"Zero-One, yes. Of course." She looks at me and I shuffle on the spot slightly, I always find the Agents here so intimidating.

"Who is Hawkeye?" I say questioning the name she had just spoke to us. She sighed and smiles at me, she then turns to her blue floating screen (I have no idea how they do it), clicks a few buttons and she invites me to look at the glowing screen. I see a picture of a sandy brown haired man, with a very muscular body and some footage of him shooting with an odd piece of equipment at some grey creatures.

"Hawkeye is a specialist Agent, he is a very talented man and a valuable agent here. He prefers to use a bow as a weapon, to shoot arrows into the targets." Greene tells me. I look at the footage in awe, the way this sandy haired man is able to wield a bow is mesmerizing suddenly I feel a sudden urge to ask her something.

"Could he teach me to do that?" I point at the weapon she just told me about. "Use a…bow?" Agent Greene looks at me, confused, her eyebrow raised. "Well I've tried everything else. Maybe this is for me?"

"Why's that, Agent?" I look up at her, her eyes are soft and I immediately want to tell her. I look away. "Tell me, I'm interested."

"I feel like…maybe I can do it. Maybe I can be good at it? It's worth a try, right?" I look up at her, she places a hand behind her back and leans on the chair she inhabited for the past 2 hours.

"We shall see what we can do, Agent." I nod my head and leave the room. I walk to the science section, a lesson with Dan next, I smile with glee. I walk contemplating what I had just seen, before I can continue my thought process, I am barged to the floor. I land on my knees, wounded from the gut punch I had just received.

_Moon and Gem. _

These two siblings have been giving me grief since I can remember. I scramble to my feet and shoot them a look of disgust, just as I am about to run after them I feel a warm hand on my arm.

"Don't bother, get em' later." I look at the Agent holding my arm. A young man, nearly 6ft tall, with black hair, tinted with a red side fringe stands next to me, his blue eyes gleaming at me. He is wearing the exact same as the other agents but he wears it better than most, his muscles are more toned are refined under the black suit, he always carries his sword, slid into a cover attached to his belt, as most agents who have their own weapons do. I smile at him.

"Shut up, Python." Agent Nathaniel Greene, or Python as we called him, is the 19 year old son of Agent Greene and is a pretty damn good trainee agent in my class, the only one in my class that gave me the gesture of friendship in this whole damn place, well Dan too. He was a specialist in sword fighting and stealth killings, and he was my best friend. We mused in laughter and headed off to the science block.

"So, you stayed behind to talk to my mum?" I looked at him shocked.

"Wait how-" His smirk interrupts my speech on privacy. "Oh yea…they don't call you Python for nothing do they?" The chosen codename was because he was completely deadly in a sword fight, but hid well in situations. I sigh and look into his hazel eyes. "Just I didn't know who Hawkeye was."

"Really?!" He almost jumped in shock.

"Yeah, I don't know a lot."

"Yeah, I gathered that." I shrugged and laughed. He lost his serious composure he attempted to create and giggled with me. "Theres something about you Zero-One, you're too different." He said softly and seriously to me

"Whoa. Where did that come from?"

"I don't know, you're just…different. You don't even have a codename!"

"Maybe I'm too young?" I laugh

"You're only like 1 year younger, not even that, than the agents they consider to be young in there, you need a badass name."

"Like Python?" I smirk at him, playfully. He nudges me and we walk off into the science area, discussing 'badass' codenames.


	2. Contact Concern

Director Fury sits at his desk, his deep brown eye scanning and observing the new recruits' files. Fury barely came to this headquarter, choosing the Helicarrier as his base, the repairs needed to be made however and migrated to this place for a while. Check-up was done every month on these agents and he had the joy of reviewing all of them. Fury heard a faint knock on his door and looks up from his desk at the door.

"Enter." He said, keeping his serious expression. A brown haired woman with blonde highlights walks in, wearing a navy dress and black heels, she is in her mid-30's, her hair tied up into a tight bun. "Agent Greene."

"Director Fury, I wish to discuss a matter with you?" Fury gestures to the seat in front of his desk and she walks over quickly to sit on the chair, he can guess what this is about, he bets with himself, Moon or Gem causing a trouble or her complaining about her position in training the new recruits. "It is Subject 01, sir." He leans forward, immediately interested in the conversation, surprised at the sudden change in the normal conversation.

"Proceed."

"She has been getting increasingly curious about her surroundings. She is asking more and more about things."

"I don't understand Greene."

"She thinks she would benefit from meeting Barton and having him teach her how to wield a bow."

"Why are you surprised? You know what she is."

"But is contact between Hawkeye and Subject 01…safe?"

"Yes, it is. Barton may be smart, but he's not that smart." Fury barks at the agent, she looks at the floor. "I want to see what happens after the contact between the two. Greene, this has something to do with her contact with your son, doesn't it?" She looks up.

"I am concerned."

"She is not dangerous here. She deserves a normal life-"

"Normal life?!" Greene's anger cannot be contained anymore. "Normal?! You took her old life and replaced it with a new one. I get that you couldn't have helped that. She never leaves here, she doesn't have a family and she doesn't have a clue about most things!"

"Agent Greene you are to stay quiet, or you will be made to stay quiet." The Director now stands up and Greene mirrors the action.

"Don't you think Clint had the right to know you used his DNA to-"

"No! Enough Agent Greene." Fury goes to stand next to her and she edges towards the door. "You will jeapordise the whole plan if you tell any of the subjects used are told. Dismissed and warned, Greene." The Agent then huffed out of the room.


	3. Unknown Power

"Does it never bother you that you never leave this place?" Nathaniel asked me as we sat in the cafeteria at lunch, I sat looking out at the massive window we sat next to. I looked up at him, nibbling on a sandwich in between words. I have changed into my black SHIELD catsuit, ready for combat lessons. The soft material fitting hugging my body, making it easier for movement.

"Does the roof count?" I look at him, he shakes his head. I love spending time on the roof of the massive flat roofed skyscaper we are all situated in. I like looking down at everyone, not noticing me. It's the nearest thing to fresh air I get, unnoticed. I feel safer high up than most people, I like spying on the world, it gives me comfort. "A little, but Dan said it's for my own good."

"But why?" I usually have an answer for everything, but this time, I was left speechless.

"I…don't know." I look down at my food, losing my appetite. "Not like I have a family."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine." I smile at his sorry eyes, they soften after my happy smile. All I can remember is being an orphan, then my life changing after I woke up in that hospital day. I don't even remember how I got there. "Mister badass-codename." He pokes his tongue out at me.

"Just you're 18! In two weeks! And we can't go out!"

"I know, I know. But I'll be fine, all my friends are here."

"You mean me and Dan." I poke my tongue out this time.

"I'll mention it to Dan, he's bound to have something in mind or planned."

"When I mentioned it, he said he forgot."

"He's always so busy, it's expected." I smile sadly at him and he places his hand on mine, my body tingles from the touch and I blush slightly.

"Look, we'll do something. I promise, okay?" He looks into my eyes, his hazel eyes piercing into my deep green ones. I smile at him and he coughs nervously and takes his hand off mine. Damn, I liked the feel of his hand on mine. "So…badass codename for you, Zero-One…not a real one. Doesn't even make sense!" I laugh at him, agreeing with his words. It didn't make sense, but I was told I was going to be addressed that when I woke up from my hospital bed.

"Well its gotta be something to do with something I'm good at."

"Okay, you're good at manning a gun," He gets his hand out and starts counting the things I'm good at. "manily things from distance. You're fast and always know what to do in a fight. You're good at Science, English, Art…wait." He pauses and looks at me. "There is nothing you're not good at, if I'm honest." I giggle and turn pink at the compliment. "KESTREL!" He shouts, a few eyes looking at us, I hide my laughter and he goes a bright red, almost the colour of his highlights in his hair.

"Kestrel?" I whisper, still giggling.

"A bird of prey, it suits you. Just think, Agents Python and Kestrel. The formidable force of us…if we're partnered together." He says bigging it up.

"Don't snakes eat birds?"

"Kestrels are too fast, you're quick and agile, good at ranged and hand-to-hand. It suits you."

"But you'll be the only one who calls me it." I laugh and he laughs with me. "It won't catch on, I know it won't. Anyway, we have to go." I say pointing up to the massive digital clock in the cafeteria, 3.09 it says. Python looks at me brightly, excited about meeting this Hawkeye. We stand, empty our trays and head to the training facility, he doesn't shut up about my new codename and our possible partnership the whole walk there.

...

We arrive at 3.14 to see our classmates sitting around the man from I only recently saw on a computer screen. His toned muscular face serious and emotionless, his confident stance and his folded arms showing off his muscular arms. His sandy brown hair was spiked up, without gel and he wore purple and black attire and one hand wrapped tightly around his weapon of choice, a bow. He is leaning against a wall on the far right of the training room, far from the equipment that crowds the

"Settle down Agents, please, be seated on the floor." Agent Hill walks into the room, almost appalled by the behaviour of the agents. For a bunch of 18 to 20 year olds, they were acting like a 6 year old child who had just met a person dressed in a suit of their favourite cartoon character. I sit next to Python and he edges closer to me, excited and squealing a little like a child. "Your training session will be taken by Agent Barton this afternoon, any questions for Agent Barton before we begin? Raise hands, don't just shout this time" Agent Hill said as the young agents mused with faint laughter. Ask him…questions? He looks to serious to be bothering with young trainees like us, too important. A few hands shoot up, including Pythons and he nods to each student as they ask their questions.

"Do we call you Agent Barton or Hawkeye?" A bunch of wise acting people said at the front of the class, I recognised them as Agents Cobra, Young and Hilde. If you had a special codename, like Cobra, Python, Moon or Gem…you had more lessons, more studying and more attention put onto you. I was one of these who had extra lessons but the lack of codename, until recently.

"Hawkeye." He answered seriously, shooting a look that said don't-waste-my-time-you-snobby-gits. I hid my giggle well as Agent Hill came to stand near me and Python. He nodded once more and Moon asked a question, one of the two twins that harass me frequently.

"What is it like being an Avenger?" His voice was soft and intrigued by the Agent. I turn to Python subtly and lean into him, his body tenses under my touch.

"What's an Avenger?" I ask him so quiet barely anyone could hear it. He turns to me, a shocked expression and then leans into my ear.

"They like saved the world from an alien invasion like a while ago. Didn't you hear about that?"

"No, I think that's the day I forgot to look on the notice board." We muse in quiet laughter and hear Agent Hill clear her throat, drawing attention to us. Hawkeye looks at us and we turn pink.

"Am I boring you?" He says sternly

"No, sir." Python said, almost starstruck

"What are your names?" Python looked up at me and I looked at him.

"Agents Python and Kestrel." He said pointing at us, with a slight smirk. I shoot a glare at him. Moon and Gem glare at us.

"Since when did you get a codename?" Moon shouted at us, his brown hair was greased back and his blue eyes were angry for some reason. Gem, his female twin, also looked at us both with her brown hair curled and her blue eyes deep with anger we didn't understand.

"Since I gave it to her. It suits her." He looks down at me and smiles. Oh that smile, I swear I felt weak in the knees. I smile back, my face turning the colour of his fringe highlights.

"It doesn't work like that, idiot."

"It worked like that for you, back off. She has every right to a name."

"Enough." Hawkeye said, looking straight at me. "Kestrel, care to come up front?" I look at Python, panic on my face, he nods and smiles. I stand up and look the Agent in the eyes, he stares deep into my eyes, I see Agent Hill behind me tense slightly. "Come up front. Gather around agents." A circle forms around Hawkeye and myself, he is standing in front of me in the giant floor space we have available in this room. Am I really going to face Hawkeye in a sparring session? I look at him in disbelief. He then places his bow to the side and walks over to me. "Want to train to your best ability? Face your enemy, the one that pisses you off the most." He then places a hand on my shoulder and looks down at me. "And that's what you're going to do. What's the name of the one who just heckled at you?" I stay quiet, I don't want to face _Moon_ he'll hurt me bad. I'm not ready to be humiliated that much. "That's an order, Agent Kestrel."

"Agent Moon." I say, shaking in my voice.

"Agent Moon?" He steps forward, his greased brown hair not even moving when he moves, it's like it's stuck to his scalp. He smirks, the anger in his blue eyes are chilling and scary. I tense, my fists clench, in fear or anger? Hawkeye sees this and takes a step back and stands next to Agent Hill. Moon faces me dead on and I take my stance, ready for hand-to-hand combat. He mirrors this, but he looks ever more intimidating, his black suit clenching around his unusually big arms and legs. We begin to circle each other, like two big cats about to fight for their next meal. "Now, you two. You know the rules. Go." Moon takes a step forward confidently and goes to punch me in the face, I grab his fist, keep it still and punch him straight back in the face, I then kick him back a few paces,. Moon places his hand on the floor to keep his balance, I stand in defense position and he swallows hard. He runs towards me, I jump in the air, not even realizing causing him to run into the surrounding Agents. Few Agents laugh and some gasp in shock, even I am shocked at the height of my jump. He growls and me whilst my back is turned, holds my arm behind my back, causing it to make a crack under the force. He pushes my face to the floor, my cheek pressed hard to the cold floor, I breathe in pain as he places his legs around my hips and pushes hard. He then bends down to reach my ear

"You think you're special?" He whispers coldly in my ear "You can't even tell the boy you like your feelings. You're shit, you don't even have a real name."

I am close to tears under his words, under his force, in pain from my possible broken arm, not out of sadness but out of anger. I then growl and reverse the move, we are both standing again. Then I feel something well in my body, it takes over like an instinct. I jump and place my thighs around his neck, spin around and bring him down to the floor with a great force. I go into a kneeling position from the move i just executed out of breath and in shock. I feel the rest of the room feel it pushes himself up to face me from the floor and Moon runs over to me, blood trickling down his nose, it was clearly broken. He jumps up and runs at me again. I place my hands up and close my eyes tight.

Everything goes silent.

I open my eyes and see I am protected by a green dome of energy, Moon banging on the dome. I expand my hands, to release it, he falls to the floor. He stands quickly after. Jesus, he can't stand down can he? I think, then I do something with my hands again. I don't know what but I shoot a green energy out of my hand and he is lifted from the ground, frozen. I throw him to the far left wall, causing the wall to crack under the force. I look down at my hands, in pure disbelief. I look up and see all eyes on me. Agent Hill runs over to Moon, or where he had landed and others run off too. The rest just stare at me, I breathe heavily, covered in sweat. Hawkeye walks over to me.

"What was that?" He said sternly. I look up into his pale blue eyes, his shock showing too. I look from him to my left to see Python looking at me in fear. I have no answer. I have no way to explain this.

So I run.

I run to the one place I feel safe.


	4. Curiosity

Hawkeye watches as the fiery haired child runs out of the room. He looks shocked. The professionalism gone, the serious composure gone. He looks at the crack that reaches high on the left wall, then at the injured boy, the worried expression of the Agents and then finally the scared face of the friend. Clint walks over to the black haired boy.

"Was that new to you?" He said softly, not wanting to scare the boy further, putting his hand on his shaking shoulder.

"Yes." He gulped and looked at the Agent standing next to him, the young boy shaking like a leaf. Hawkeye instructed him to sit on a seat, guiding him to a spare chair in the training room. He kneeled in front of him.

"Who is she? Really?" Clint asked calmly

"Zero-One."

"Why? Zero-One isn't a real name."

"The Zero-One thing…no one here understands. We're all trainees." Python looks at Clint's confused expression and still has a inner feeling of being starstruck.

"No last name?"

"Nope, not a clue." Python tells him. "She is very different, only 17. We're all 18, 19 or 20 here."

"How did she do that?" Hawkeye's curiosity into this girl was bugging him.

"The green stuff? We don't know-"

"I know that." Clint said controlling his frustration. "The moves, the fighting."

"Oh that? She's always been able to do it. Why?"

"There's only one person I know that can do that thigh choke. And only one person I know who can reverse a move that quick."

"Whos that, sir?" Python looks at Hawkeye, confused and looking for answers.

"Nat-Black Widow and myself." He stands up at that point, looks at Agent Hill who is still getting the young Agent standing, he is covered in a lot of blood, some from his nose and some from his ear.

"She's on the roof." Hawkeye turns to the black haired boy once more. "If you're looking for her, she's on the roof." Clint smiles at the boy, he makes his way to leave the room "Tell her I'm not angry, please?" Python calls after Hawkeye, he turns and nods as he begins his walk to the roof. His curiosity killing him inside, he liked to know everything about the company he worked for.

...

My mind is thoughtless, my mouth is speechless and I'm left clueless. How did I do that? Why did I do that? I cradle my knees and place my head on them, wanting to hide myself from the world. I'm shaking with fear. I don't understand. I wish I did. And the way Python looked at me, he looked at me like I was a monster. Maybe I am? Nothing make sense, I hate it. I'm only 17, why me? How, seriously, I'm repeating this in my mind, that one word.

_How_?

I hear a creak of the roof door, and shoot straight out of my scrunched position, hopeful it was Python. I look up, but don't stand, to see Hawkeye walk over to me. I turn back to face the views that I enjoy a lot. The skyline of New York, the fading sun and the faint lights on in the distance. I spy trees and shadows of people walking, the faint noise of the city, the buzz of a working day. It is only 4.10…but the sun was dimming over the high buildings of the great city.

"May I join you?" Hawkeye says lightly to me. His voice sounds friendly and warm. I just nod, still in shock. He sits next to me, his legs crossed and his hands placed over his knees. He was without his bow or set of arrows, he looks less threatening this way. I look over to him, he's studying me carefully and I grow tense under his inspecting eye. We sit in silence for a while, until I am ready to talk.

"Why are you here?" I say calmly, not wanting to sound impolite.

"Your little boyfriend told me where you'd be." He mirrored the tone of my voice

"He's not my boyfriend." I say, amused.

"But everyone can tell he wants to be." I look at him, a little shocked, yet excited. He chuckles, which I never thought I'd hear an Agent of his reputation do. He appears before me as a reassuring friend, not an Agent of SHEILD who has just seen me throw a boy across the room. "What was that back there?" I swallow hard.

"I don't know. The green thing…it's-"I cut off remembering the look on Python's face. "Is…Python terrified of me?" I look at the pale blue eyes of Hawkeye and he shakes his head. I take a deep breath. "Is Moon okay?" He shrugs. I cradle my knees again and begin sobbing into them.

"Don't cry, you don't even like the bastard." He places a hand on my back and I look up at him, not letting go of my knees.

"They are so gunna kick me out." I say through sobs

"I doubt it." He says looking out over the skyline briefly and then look back at me puzzled "Is that a bad thing? Why does it matter?"

"I don't know anything else. I don't have anything else in my life. I need this place. Even if I am stuck here."

"Don't you ever leave?" Hawkeye couldn't hide his shock and I shake my head "Why?"

"I wish I knew." I then get hit by something, a feeling I've never felt. "You ever had that feeling that…nothing makes sense anymore?" I look at Hawkeye, I don't even know why I'm telling him this. "I'm not allowed to leave, everyone calls me Zero-One, I can't remember much about my past and…now this." I look at the sandy haired agent next to me, he is looking out over the view, thinking over everything I said.

"How did you learn to do that combat?" He says, not even looking at me.

"It just…happens." I shrug and look at him. He looks back and studies me once more. We sit for a while longer in silence. "I've got a class to get to." I say suddenly. "I guess I'll see you around?" He nods "Are you coming off the roof?"

"No, I'm okay." He looks up at me, I'm now standing. "I find it nicer and easier to see things from distance." I laugh

"Me too." I leave the roof and feel Hawkeye's glare on me.


	5. Hidden Facts

I walk past the training room, and peer into it. It's empty. It's now 5.00, lesson was cancelled. Obviously. Python didn't even turn up to lesson, I thought it best to leave him. I walk around the room, looking at the various punching bags in one corner, a boxing ring in another, the door to the firing range to the other and weights in the other. I walk around the room and something catches my eye. I check to see no one is looking and I pick it up. Hawkeye's bow.

I gently caress the bow, feeling the strong wire and the cool metal under my fingertips. I turn to his selection of his arrows and a wild crazy idea crossed my mind. I turn around once again and head to the door to the firing range, something possessing me to try this out. I click a button on the holder for his arrows, an image of just a normal arrow head, not like the ones Agent Greene showed me on the screen earlier, and take it out and observe the end of the silver arrow. I carefully and closely study it, noting the end was sharp and pricked a little blood out of my finger as touched it. A rush of heated blood filled my veins and I instantly know what to do.

I place the metal end in my left hand, holding it perfectly still and place and arrow in my right, I pull the string back and I focus on my target, aiming for the bull's-eye dot in the centre of the targets. I release the arrow and it hits it dead in the middle. Surprised by this, repeat the actions on the container of arrows and draw another arrow back, I aim for the bull's-eye on the furthest target. I take the shot, concentrating hard and release the arrow at a great speed. Hit. Right in the middle once again. I smile to myself, I have found my weapon specialty.

"Oh my God." I hear someone say behind me. I turn, scared it was the owner of the bow. "How did you…Oh my God! Kestrel!" I smile to see it is my best friend, Python. He is smiling at me. "You look very good holding one." I blush slightly and smile at him. "Just how?!"

"I don't know, Python. Maybe I was always meant to use this?" He smiles at me and runs over to me, causing me to drop the bow, and forces me into a hug, my head buried in his neck. He then pushes me back slightly and kisses me on the lips. My eyes slowly close enjoying the show of passion. I break the kiss of and we giggle at each other. "Where did that come from?" I say shyly.

"I've been wanting to kiss you for ages, Kestrel…I...um...really like you." My heart skips a beat and I nod at him. He kisses me once more, I am more willing to accept the kiss now, savouring each kiss. "I'm guessing that means-"  
"I like you too, Python." He smiles at me and kisses me on the forehead

"Come on, dinner time. I think you should put that back before he notices." He says looking down at the bow, not letting go of my arms. I move to retrieve the bow and place it in the exact same position, Python takes my hand and leads me out to the cafeteria. I am happy, for the first time in ages.

Director Fury storms into the lab, the orange haired professor shoots up, shocked. Maria Hill is close of Fury's tail and they walk over to him.

"What's happened? I saw her pick up the Hawk's bow…it was going to happen-" Dan says quickly, worried.

"She also shot one of our trainee agents into the wall, care to explain?" Fury produces a tape from his long trench coat and presses it, forming a blue projection to come out of the small disc. The Professor stands and watches in shock. He rushes over to another desk and produces her blood sample, he puts a sample on to a microscope slide and places it on the microscope, it flashes up on a nearby screen. The three walk over quickly to see her blood with traces increasing green particles. Dan then gets a file and places it on the desk. "I understand the combat, the bow, the amazing healing-"

"You injected the subject with DNA of Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, Steve Rodgers and…Bruce Banner?" Fury then shot up and looked at his new right hand agent.

"We did not authorise that DNA infusion." Fury said, snatching the file from the flustered professor.

"It says there you did. The infusion of the following names." The professor scanned the file. "Only the metabolic rate and healing speed of Rodgers was extracted in this case, as it was easier to dissect the samples we gained. Using the files from the 40's it made it easier to select specific traits into the infusion."

"I understand that, Stone-" Fury hissed, frustrated.

"But Banner…why would you put that in her body? His blood was almost green, sir. Why would someone inject her with that? They must know he is potentially dangerous and-"

"There is someone here, someone that shouldn't be here." Fury said, angry and worried at the same time. "They have been here for many months too." Fury scans the room, looking at the various scientists in the room. He looks at Dan and then back to Maria Hill, her face worried. "What does this mean in the meantime?" Dan then rushes over to his laptop and types rapidly.

"The Gamma radiation can affect people differently. One symptom can be different to another." Dan then clicks his fingers "Maybe that's why there is a complication with her memories. The Gamma radiation has affected her brain waves, as it would any other person. And has created this…ability of hers. "

"Why protective domes and…anti gravitational energy?"

"This is going to sound crazy, but the Gamma radiation could have fed off the memories and it became the one thing she wanted. Defence."

"That's _is _crazy Professor Stone." Fury shook his head at the idea

"Well do you have any other suggestions?" Dan replied quickly. "What should we do Director?"

"Monitor her. A lot, she needs a camera on her all the time and regular tests." The two agents nod, Maria Hill more than Dan. Fury storms out of the room, flustered and annoyed at the fact someone was here, messing with his experiments. Professor Stone was attached to her, and if she continued to be like…this.

She'd have to be silenced.

Subject 01 would have to be terminated.


	6. Birthday Surprises

"Happy birthday my little Kestrel!"

That's how I'm greeted on the 3rd of April by my now, boyfriend, Python. He plants a small kiss on my cheek as he walks into my room early in the morning, it's 12am and he promised me he'd wake me up when it was my birthday…and he did. I sigh, but I am slightly warmed by the gesture, I smile at him and invite him to sit down beside me on the sofa. These 'rooms' I talk about are more like mini studio apartments. They always are. Fitted with a kitchen, bedroom and a small lounge area.

"Finally old enough to be here!" I say sarcastically and he laughs at the comment. I yawn and then look deeply into his eyes. It's been two weeks since he confessed his feelings for me and I've never been happier since, finally having someone share the feelings I had too. I had only been here for a few months when I met him, he was kind and now he was doubley nice to me.

"Sorry. I should have woke you up at a sensible time." Python says, noticing the bags under my eyes, I giggle and rest my head on his shoulder.  
"It's one of the sweetest things someone has done for me." I smile warmly at him and he kisses me on the lips. He then produces something from his pocket and hands it to me. It's a rectangular box that fits into my hand, it has a bit of ribbon around it and I look up at him and smile. "Is this…for me?"

"Yes, of course you silly little bird." He smiles at me. Python and I have come up with animal jokes for each other since he gave me my codename, Kestrel really suits me according to him. He is quite soppy and romantic, but I love it. I un-tie the ribbon and lift up the box, I gasp at what I see. A gold necklace with a bird pendant on it. The bird pendant has a red heart in the middle of it, I flip it over and see the word _'Kestrel_' on the back of it. I sigh and lift the pendant in my hands. "Do you like it." I lean over to him and kiss him passionately. "Is that a yes?" I nod, so happy with the present. He then takes the box from my hand and picks the necklace up. "May I?" I turn and he places the necklace around my neck and kisses my neck where it falls. I look down at it, the gem twinkling at me as I looked at it. I smiled, I couldn't control my happiness. I turned to face him again and he kissed me passionately, making me lie down on the sofa. He begins to caress my body gently and softly, feeling my curves under my pyjamas, my Hello Kitty pyjamas more embarrassingly. He breaks the passion and I notice he is kneeling in between my thighs, which are stretched up around his body. No one had ever touched me like this, it was new to me and my blood rushed around my veins like crazy, my face was hot and my hands were holding his hips.

"You're so beautiful, you know that?" I blush, yet more blood filling my face. He rests his head on my chest and lies down fully on the sofa in between me. I brush my hand through his hair and then to his cheek, holding his back. I wouldn't want to replace this feeling for the world. I slowly drift off to sleep, perfectly comfortable in this moment.

...

A few miles away, a black haired SHIELD scientist walks into what appears to be an abandoned warehouse, typing in a passcode and placing his eye into an identification laser. The door clicked open and the scientist opened the door and walked in. He jogged down several flights of stairs until he reached the basement door and punched in yet more numbers and placed his thumb onto a small panel to open the door once again. He entered this time wearing a green cape, silver plated armour and black leather trousers with boots to match. His black hair became longer and reached almost to his shoulders. His emerald eyes shared the same look of evil as his signature smirk did. He walked over to a large chair, shadowed and hidden. He bowed his head slightly at the bulky shadow in the chair.

"Loki." The figure in the chair said "Are the pieces in place?"

"Yes, they will all soon crumble." Loki responded, his voice laced in an icy cruelty. "Some Agents have joined our forces, the serum formula is ready too."

"And the girl?"

"Gamma full and surging. Her powers have surfaced. We just need to lure her here."

"Excellent. Laufeyson, you have not failed me this time." His red skin flared in the crack of light in the blacked out window, his wide shoulders armoured with gold. His evil grin widened.

"Thank you, Sir…Thanos." He stumbled over his words, if he were to displease him, he'd not live to see the next day. Fear struck the God of Mischief for the first time in a while.

...

I woke up to the sound my alarm, loud and clear surprisingly as it was in my room. I yawn and see that Python is still cuddled into me, I nudge him and he stirs, his usually styled hair messy, I giggle.

"Oh god." He says tired as he rubs his eyes. "It's my hair isn't it?" He goes to smooth it down and I stop him.

"It's cute my little Python." I kiss his forehead. He slides off me, I laugh and I jump into the shower, telling him to make himself at home. I immerge a few minutes later, fully dress in my navy lycra training suit (it makes me feel like a stupid superhero), to see that he has made me breakfast, my favourite too, pancakes. I smile again as I see a singular pink candle in the middle of one. I cast aside the towel I was using to dry my hair and walk over to the side in my kitchen. He lights the candle and sings 'Happy Birthday' to me, out of tune, he tells me to make a wish before I blow out the candle. I just wish for one thing. Answers. I blow the candle out with a tiny huff and we dig into our pancakes, talking about the day ahead.

"Oh shit." I said suddenly remembering I had to see Dan for some tests this morning. "I have to go, tests and stuff."

"Oh, I better get changed too. Meet you at first session?" I nod and we walk out of the room together, heading off in different directions, kissing each other lightly on the lips as we head out to our required destinations. I walk slowly over to the science section, I became nervous for some reason, and started playing with the long sleeves on my black training suit, that were clinging to my skin, pinching under the sweat. I walk through the door and beam at the orange haired professor, who is mirroring my happy smile. I walk over to him, and much to my surprise, he lifts me up into a crushing hug. He drops me on the floor and looks at me, holding my chin in his thumb and index finger.

"What is it?" I smile at him, he looks at me with a hint of a sad smile.

"Nothing...just you!" He chuckles to himself. "You're 18!" He holds my shoulders in his hands, like a proud father, I laugh at him. "That reminds me! I have this for you." He reaches behind him, and holds out a large red rectangular box, I take it, in shock, looking at the size and wondering what on earth it was. I look around, the room is empty. I place it down on a spare surface and look at the red wrapping paper and begin taking it off the box to reveal a white box, I slide the lid off and my eyes light up at what I see.

It's a bow. A metal bow, painted black with some red swirling patterns on the bow, with a black string. It had a targeting lens on it, much like the one on Hawkeye's. It was almost identical to his bow, the sleek, cold metal fitted perfectly into my hands, I felt at home with it in my hands. I caressed the metal and reached the grip and held it up to look through the scope, it was identical to the one on my favored sniper rifle in the training room. I turn to Dan and smile, he is holding a quiver (I did my research on archery after trying out Hawkeye's). "I saw the video footage of you trying out Hawkeye's," I swallow deeply at that, oh shit, am I going to get told off now? "you are a natural. But instead of you using a fake wooden one, you can have your own." I smile at him, place the bow back in its box and pick up the quiver, again, identical to Hawkeye's. Different buttons, a rotational spinner to change the head of the arrow, making me significantly more deadly in a battle, more of a threat. "There are special arrow heads, as you can tell. Ones fitted with small explosives, a wire one, a netted one and…well the rest is up to you. You can fix your own anytime you want, just ask me about it-"

"You made this?" I say, shocked. He shuffles on the spot and turns pink, he finally nods. I embrace him in a hug, making sure the quiver is hanging on my arm.

"Thank you." I say breaking the embrace. "It means so much more to me now." He smiles and notices the necklace.

"Python's present to you?" He points at it and I blush and nod. "It's lovely, Kestrel." He winks at me and I giggle. "Right, I need to do some tests. Sorry, but its got to be done." I shrug, not caring about today, I just want to get on with my day, my birthday, now. I place everything down on the desk and walk over to the next desk and feel the blood leave my body, letting my thoughts cloud my head.

...

I walk into my class, English with Agent Greene, with my bow hanging off my back and quiver on my thigh, as the straps were adjustable on the back, and my necklace on show. I smile when I see Python waiting outside the class, beaming at me. He kisses me on the lips, surprisingly passionate.

"You look damn sexy with that." He smirks and I giggle nervously, he's never said that to me before. I glare into his blue eyes, smiling into each other's eyes. "You're finally a proper real looking agent." He winks and I turn pink again.

"Get a fucking room guys." I hear the high squeak of Gem's voice. "Maybe you can get one out of here, you freak." I look down at the floor, stepping away from Python. That comment hurt a little more than it should, but I could understand her hatred for me right now, I did hospitalise her twin brother.

"How about you back off, before I put you next to your pathetic brother in the hospital?" Python said, his voice full of a darkness I had never heard in his voice. He began to walk over to her, she mirrored the action and squared him up. They were inches away from touching.  
"Want to say that again, Python?" Gem spat at him, looking up to him, her mere 5ft 7 showing against my 6ft boyfriend.

"I said, back off of my girlfriend-"

"Oooh, girlifriend? Stop showing her off, she's a fucking freak. Got it?" Python clenched his fist and was about to raise it to punch her in the face, then Agent Greene came storming between the two, I grabbed Python and she grabbed Gem.

"What on earth is going on?!" She shouted as Gem shook her of her shoulders violently. Python accepted my gentle touch on his upper arm and looked down to me and mouthed the word sorry, I just nodded. I didn't need to tell him off, his mother was about to do that. I watched Agent Greene with scared and eager eyes, wanting her to speak again.

"He just started on me, ma'am." Gem said, putting her innocence on, batting her eyelashes sweetly. I scowled at her and Python wore a bigger expression of shock and rage on his face.

"Is that true, Agent Python?" Greene asked, addressing her son by his Agent name, keeping her professional composure.

"No!" He shouted "No, Agent Greene." He gained his professionalism once again, straightening up and putting his arms behind his back, I mirrored the action, letting go of his muscular arm.

"Agent Gem, go into class. I will look at the footage later and address the punishment." Gem stormed off into class, obviously disagreeing with the brunette agent. We watched her scowl a look of disgust at us as she stomped into class. We then turned to the agent, my heart in my throat, things hadn't been going so well lately, I was constantly getting into trouble I didn't even know was possible. The other day I finished the 2 mile run faster, so the agent taking the endurance class, added another 1 mile because I finished it too fast. "What was that all about, Nathaniel?" I looked up at my black haired boyfriend, I'd never heard anyone call him by his first name.

"Gem started to insult Kestrel and myself-"

"Kestrel? Who is that?" She said, almost in horror.

"Me, Agent Greene." I stepped forward, shyly. Agent Greene looked to her son and then back to me. She shook the shock from her face and let out a sigh.

"Why was Agent Gem insulting you two?"

"We…showed a sign of affection, out in the corridor here."

"You know public displays of affection are not allowed here, nor is dating a agent in the same division too-"

"But I'm an undercover specialist, Kestrel is…a specialist at everything." I hide my giggle, we both do.

"Nether the less. It is not acceptable-"

"Black Widow and Hawkeye are together, Mother." He spat those words. Wait, what? Hawkeye has a girlfriend. He looks too serious to have a relationship. I don't even know who Black Widow is…and hold on, did he just call Agent Greene _mother? _In public too. Agent Greene stood, shaken by the words of her young son.

"Dismissed, Agent Python." She said angrily to Python, he looked to me, and I nodded back. Clearly she wanted a word with me. Python then gracefully left the situation and walked into the classroom. Agent Greene then turns to me sharply. My hands behind my back, I can feel my metal bow against my lower arm, its cooling the fiery blood of fear pumping around my veins. "Agent…Kestrel is it now?" She eases slightly.

"Yes, ma'am." I said shortly

"It suits you." She smiles, slightly.

"Thank you, ma'am." I tried to hide the shock in my voice.

"I hear I should give you many happy returns on your 18th birthday, finally old enough to be here." I nod, not getting her point at all. She walks closer to me, I swallow heavily. "Kestrel, you need to know this." She sighs and I'm hanging on every word she says, concern is showing in her face. "You're different, you're not like them in there. And it's about time you started asking all those questions I know you want to ask. Deep down inside, you know somethings don't make sense. When you realise those things-"

"Is there a problem here, Agent Greene?" I turn to see a dark skinned man with an eye patch, his long leather trench coat reaching near to his ankles, he is dressed all in black like all of us here.

"Not at all, Director Fury." Greene said confidently, hiding the fear I knew she felt, even as she was standing behind me, I knew she was scared and intimidated by Fury, everyone was. "I was just talking to Agent…Kestrel." She placed her hand on my shoulder and he shot her a stern look. It was like I wasn't even here, I just stayed quiet.

"Agent Kestrel?" He then looked at me, studying me. It was like we didn't even meet, but we had the day I woke up in the hospital. I nodded at him. "What were you and Agent Greene discussing?"

"Director-"

"I was asking Agent _Kestrel." _The way he said my name sent shivers down my spine, it was almost in disgust.

"I...Erm." I stutter, _get your act together, you're Agent Kestrel._ I stand up straighter, saying the mantra over and over . "We were discussing the literature I enjoy, seeing as this is an English class. We have a common interest, the works of Charles Dickins." I smile up at the Agent holding my shoulder still, she smiles and nods. "My favourite is Great Expectations, but she enjoys Oliver Twist a little more." Fury then looks at us both and nods, reluctantly.

"Very well, have a good day. Agent Greene. Agent…Kestrel." He walks off, his leather coat, flapping behind him. I give a sigh of a relief and look at Agent Greene.

"How did you know?" She said, calmly.

"Know what?"

"That I like Charles Dickins?"

"Python told me, I wasn't lying. I enjoy his work too, ma'am." I smile at her. She chuckles. "Agent Greene? What did you mean? About asking questions, will I want to know the answers? Can I even ask them-"

"Agent Kestrel, do what you think you need to do. Nice bow by the way." I blush at her, she coughs nervously. "Right, we need to get class underway, shall we Agent Kestrel?" She opens the door for me and I walk in. Python's face softens as he sees I am smiling.


	7. Ice Touch

That night, I surprisingly find it hard to sleep. I undress out of my lilac silk sleepwear, then put it back on. Then put the duvet over my body, then lie on top of it. Try sleeping on my left side, then right, then back then…I just can't stand this. I get up and walk over to my massive window view, the lights of New York catching my eyes. The yellows, reds and blues occupying my eyes, I come across a question I want to ask instantly. I look around to try and find a piece of paper, I have got to write these down, maybe it'll be better if I write them down. I walk over to my desk in the far right and pick up a pen and paper. But who do I ask them to? How can I bring myself to ask them?

_"Ask them, discover who you are_"

I jump as I hear the voice, turn around and see that nothing is there, my heart leaps into my throat. I pick up my small gun on my bedside table and silently creep around my room, holding a gun up. Frantically looking for the owner of the hard sounding voice I heard.

_"Agent Kestrel. Zero-One. So many names. So many questions." _

I spin around to face my kitchen, then turn to face my sofa. No one is there. Nothing is in this place but me. What is this? A dream? I pinch myself on the arm and hear the voice give out a sinister laugh.

_"This is real, my dear. Just because you cannot see me, doesn't mean I am not here." _

I can't control my breathing now, heavily, full of fear. The exact opposite agents are taught to be.

"Who are you? Where are you?" I say, talking to no one, warm tears fall from my eyes. If anyone were to walk in right now, I'd be thrown into a mental asylum. I keep the gun straight out in front of me, stalking my apartment, ready to strike.

"_You will know all those answers, when you begin asking the right questions, you will find us." _

"Us? Who are you?" I say a little louder, I hear a knock on my door and I jump. I carefully side-step over to the door and open it, my hand gun firmly in my hand. I feel sweat trickle down my forehead to my cheek as I reach for the cold door handle and open the door. I sigh, it's just Python, wearing his casual white t-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms.

"Kestrel…are you-" Before his worry can continue, I grab the neck of his t-shirt, causing my hand to let the gun slip to the floor with a clunk, and I force his lips to mine. Not wanting to break the feeling I continue to passionately kiss him, constantly and repeatedly, his hands slowly find my waist as I close the door with my foot, he pushes me against the wall I wrap my legs around him. His hands trail up my legs as I take his t-shirt off, I look at his beauty and enjoy the view. He chuckles and then carries me into my bedroom and throws me on the bed. I like this playful Python. He straddles me, his legs around my waist and kisses my neck, I sigh, wow that is hot. I surrender to the pleasure, completely lost in the moment I am sharing with him.

...

"Sir, the girl, she is questioning now. She sees the problems, what should we do, sir?" Loki says walking into the room, Thanos is looking at various screens, showing camera footage around the SHEILD base in New York. He smiles at the news he brings. "Fury is also questioning the presence of someone else in her infusion process, shall I continue my stationing at SHEILD?"  
"Yes, Loki. We have many new recruits here. We just need to figure out how we are going to get her here."  
"She is very attatched to the black haired boy, sir." Thanos then turns to Loki. "She is only human, if she feels enough guilt-"  
"She will run. And we will simply guide her here." The red skinned man stands. His thought process working on top form. "Get me the SHIELD agents we have on base."  
"The ones we converted?"  
"Yes, I have a plan, Loki. It will involve something you enjoy very much." Loki's emerald eyes danced with mischief, he smirked and listened to Thanos' plan, smirking more and more at every word.

...

I woke up the next morning, the sun warming my skin. I rub my eyes and notice Python's arms are wrapped around my chest and stomach, my back touching his chest, cradling me. I turn to face him, so peaceful and gorgeous. I smile, as I feel him wake up slightly more and more and I move around to face him, he blinks serveral times and finally shows me his sapphire eyes. I smile again, showing my teeth. Python stretches, letting go of me, I cover my naked body in my duvet and kiss him on the lips lightly.

"Good morning." I whisper to him.

"Morning, Kestrel." He chuckles and puts his arm around me. "That was an interesting turn of events last night." I laugh and he laughs a little more cautiously. "What was the matter last night, I haven't forgot."

"Nothing, I was sleepwalking." I say, giving him a reassuring look and smiling. "Nightmare and all." I smirk and he relaxes.

"I thought someone was attacking you, don't scare me like that." He said softly and kissed my hair. "Lucky its free training day, or we'd be fried alive by the agents." On Saturdays, we got free training days, we got the day to train, learn or practise anything we wanted, my favourite day of the week.

"What excuse would we have come up with?" I say amused

"I don't think…sorry I had beautiful sex with my girlfriend last night would have passed." I playfully hit him on the chest and he laughs. We muse in laughter and then decide to get up and I jump in the shower alone, much to Pythons unhappiness.

I wash my hair quickly and jump out of the shower, wrapping a towel around myself as I do. I look at myself in the mirror, I open the mirrored cabinet I had just peered into, to get out my tooth brush, close it and jump at what I see, I drop my toothbrush on the floor. I look closely at the mirror, and notice someone is standing behind me. I turn to see the figure but he is not there, I face the mirror again and study the figure. The figure is a tall, attractive, black haired man. One of his eyes matches mine and one is a luminous blue and his sinister grin is sending shivers down my spine. He is wearing a form of armour, gold, black and green. He reaches out to touch me and I fall to the ground under his touch. I shiver, and become cold. I look up and see no one there, I clamber to my knees, tears rising in my eyes. I run out of my bathroom and close the door hard. I slid down the door, cradling my knees, my towel covering me still. I don't know wether to cry, scream or calm my breathing down. I do all three. Python comes rushing to my side and places a hand on my shoulder.

"Kestrel, Kestrel! Look at me. Please!" He says desperately, paniced by my reaction. I look up at him teary eyed. Why did that scare me so much? I am shaking, my wet hair dripping down my back. He lifts me up, I clench onto my towel and sit on my head. Python places an arm around me and hold me close. "Whats the matter? Don't say nothing, I know there is something not right." He strokes my wet hair and I look up into his trusting blue eyes. I calm myself, I must look like a state.

"I saw someone, in the bathroom."

"What? Wait how?-"

"Let me tell you please." He nods and lets me go. "Before I tell you, I better put some clothes on, give me a few seconds." He nods again and leaves the my bedroom. I sling on a plain black shirt and some blue jeans that loosely fitted me, place my wet hair into a ponytail and walk out of my bedroom and see Python with his fists clenched in front of him, waiting impatiently. I go over to my sofa and sit next to him. I take a deep breath in and look at him. He grabs my hand and squeezes it, smiling at me.  
"I saw someone in my mirror, just then," I start the long story "I turned to see if he was there-"

"He?"

"Yes, he."

"What did he look like?" I look at Python, and roll my eyes. He can't ever shut up…"Sorry. I'll shut up." He smirks and I can't help but smirk too.

"He had dark black hair, that was combed back, it reached his neck. Green eyes that matched his armour he was wearing. It was odd looking. Like capes, and all." I look at the floor, shuddering and the thought of his touch. "Then he touched me, but he wasn't there. I swear. I looked. But he touched me, and I became…cold. Like ice." I shiver and Python squeezes my hand harder, I didn't notice that my tears had started again "I don't even know why I'm crying. Really."

"Its okay. You can cry, it's allowed." He said softly, effected by my tears.

"Do you…believe me?"

"Kestrel." He moves me to face him straight and holds my upper arms. "I believe you. I promise you that I'll protect you from whatever did this to you. I've never seen you this way. "

"I just…still have so many questions. About myself and what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Something doesn't make sense, with me. Someone is lying to me, someone is hiding something. I don't know what, and I don't know how I've realized this only now."

"Someone…knows the truth about you." Python sighs.

"How did you know-"

"My mother. She is concerned about you, oddly." I look at him in disbelief.

"Your Mum…she said I should start asking questions."

"You should. You need to."

"I don't think I can do this alone." I say sadly, facing the floor.

"You won't." I look at him, his eyes caring and full of trust. "We're together on this, I'm not going to leave you." He places his hand on my cheek. "I promise, we'll do this together." I smile at him and kiss him on the lips. I smile at him, what did I do to ever deserve him.


	8. Attack

At 10.30 in the morning, I'm ready to start my day, getting over the shock and ready to start doing the thing I should have done months ago. I walk, hand-in-hand to the science lab with Python, my bow on my back, quiver on my thigh, Python's sword in the holster, eyes looking at us as we walk. We were out of uniform so that was understandable, but I've stopped caring, I was beginning to get angry, knowing people here were hiding something from me. It finally clicked now.  
I almost reached the science room when I felt the ground shake under my feet and hear an ear splitting alarm. Agents rush around us as we run into the science lab, heading for cover. We run into the lab and open the door to see the lab had been broken into, smashed glass everywhere, liquids staining the once white surfaces. I take my bow from my back and grab an arrow with a normal head and hold it, ready to strike, I crouch slightly, unsure if hostiles were still in the area. Python copies my crouching position, holding his sword out in front of him. I direct him to cover the left and I proceed to cover the right. I wander the room, no sign of any hostiles.

"Clear in right, Python." I say, we didn't have the luxury of communicators at trainee level. "Confirm left status?"

"Clear in left, Kestrel." We then fully stand up and notice a computer monitor is on, I move the mouse to see a pop-up window saying _Download Complete, _in the centre. "Whatever they wanted they got-"

"Where is Dan?" I say in shock. I frantically look around the room, opening doors and cabinets. I go over to a cabinet in the far left, where test tubes are usually kept and see Dan hidden in the cabinet. "Oh thank God." I breathe heavily.

"Zero-One…"He shakes, out of breath.

"It's Kestrel now, Dan. Come on, lets get you out of here." I hold out my hand

"No, wait." Dan says gripping my arm, his lab coat is ripped and he looks down at his leg. "I was shot, I'm bleeding heavily." He winces in pain as he stands.

"Okay, its okay Dan." I force his arm around my shoulders, supporting him. We'll get you somewhere safe.

"No, go. I'll hide here."

"I'm not leaving you..I won't"

"You have to!" He shouts, in between wincing in his pain. I look down at him and drop him in the cabinet again, I know deep inside he's right.

"Why did the alarm only go off now?" Python asks, concerned. His brilliant mind began working.

"It was a stealth…attack on the…science lab…they had people…here. They are launching a…bigger attack." He winces again in pain, takes a deep breath and continues. "They want…her." Python looks at me, as Dan is too.

"Me?" I say in disbelief. "Why me?"

"You'll have to ask Fury that when we reach him." Python said, kneeling next to Dan. A buzz coming through his pocket.

_" This is Agent Hill, Science Division A, do you copy? Hostiles on sight, do you copy? Over" _ Python reaches into Dan's pocket and produces a communicator. He places it to his mouth.

"Agent Hill, Agent Python here. We copy. Hostiles have been and left the scene. Over"

"_That's impossible, Python. We were only alerted to the attack a few mintues ago. Over."_

"It was a stealth attack, planned. Professor Stone is injured, conscious and has told us all he saw. Spies have been placed in the science division by the un-known hostile force. Response is needed, Agent Hill. Over."

_"Copy, Python. Who are present in the room with you now? What did the hostiles want? Over_."

"Agent Kestrel and Professor Stone. I cannot see other living movement here, searches are needed. Over." There was a pause, a long one. "Agent Hill, do you copy? Over." Another buzz. "Agent Hill?"

_"Get Kestrel out of there, now. They heard that transmission, they want her. Get her to safety. Urgent back-up on the 8__th__ floor, all agents to protect Subject Zero-One. Agents respond, over."_ I stand frozen in the moment, I didn't have time to think about what I heard, Python grabbed my arm and lead me out of the science lab. We stand in the middle of the corridor, noticing the swarming creatures heading for us. They were grey, placed in gold armour, red eyed and had teeth that match their eyes. They looked disgusting. We turned back to back, holding our weapons out in front of us.

"You ready for this?" Python said to me, out of breath slightly.

"Let's find out." I say as he chuckles and runs forward. I hear the cry of a creature as his head is sliced from his neck. I shoot an arrow through the eye of one of the creatures and watched it fall to the ground, I then turn to the wall, run up it and land down on one of the creatures, causing it's back to break as I reach for my other thigh and pull out a gun. I shoot him dead in the head, I twirl my gun back into its tiny hostler and shoot an explosive arrow into one of the creatures, hard enough so he creates a set of dominos and before they realize they are all caught in the explosion my arrow creates. 3 more creatures come up from the pile of grey I just created, knocking my bow out of my hand, in surprise I punch him in the face and kick him in, what I guessed, was his stomach. He hunches over in pain, like a human, and I shoot him through his head, his blood staining my jeans. Two more head for me and I focus and hold out my hands. One part of me is thinking, now is not the time to experiment with your green power, but the other part is thinking, fuck it. I hold out my hands, feel the rage hit my blood and see the green energy shoot out of my hands, picking the two creatures up, I throw them through a nearby window. They crash through it and I smile. I pick up my bow and run off to help out Python, he needs it, as I see him struggle to fight off the grey monsters. I make the green energy again, and cast one aside, then shoot another in the eye, he stabs two and beheads another. I stand by his side, we have a breather for now. I turn to him, he is badly cut.

"Are you okay?" I ask him. He is breathing heavily.

"I'll do." He hands me the communicator. "Get back-up, we won't stay clear for long." I nod, and Python bends over and clutches his stomach, gasping for breath.

"Agent Hill, respond. Agent Kestrel, we need immediate back-up. Medical assistance too. Over." I look over to Python and put a hand on his back. The communicator buzzes, lifeless. "Agent Hill, do you copy?"

"_Yes, Kestrel. I copy. We have agents on the 7__th__ floor, reaching the 8__th__ now. Get up to the roof, hostiles are few up there. Fight your way up, emergency rescue on its way. Over."_

"Copy, over." I turn to Python, and he is standing up. "We've got to go. Roof, looks like the steps are what we need now."

"Oh…brill." He laughs, I hold out my hand and we exit the 8th floor and clamber up stairs after stairs.

...

We reach the top floor and then clamber up to the roof, with little fighting. Our breathing was frantic and I look to Python, I had gained a few scars and bruises and a cut on my black shirt, revealing little skin.

"So this is what it is like?" He said to me, through deep breaths.

"What is like?"

"Being an agent." We laugh slightly, then hear another laugh. We freeze. We both turn to see a man dressed in a science lab coat, ripped slightly. His short black hair ruffled. His smirk joining in with our laughter, we stop.

"Oh, don't stop. I found I amusing." His cold icy voice said.

"How did you survive the ambush?" Python asked, confused.

"Well…that's a little magic trick I learnt." His clothes dissolved to reveal the man was not as he appeared. I stand forward, my face drops.

"You." I breathe. It was him, the man I saw this morning, his head was occupied by a largely horned helmet, his armour covered in more metal.

"How wonderful it is to see you again." He smiles evilly and procures a scepter in his hands, toying with it in his hands, looking at it, acting like we weren't here.

"Again?" Python joins me by my side. "You've seen him before?"

"I saw him this morning, in my mirror." I say in disbelief. "Its him."

"How did you get here?!" Python shouts at him.

"Magic." He says sinisterly, his emerald eyes full of fire. "You see," He begins circling us and we circle him too. He's toying with us. "Now, if you don't mind, I've got to take you with me." His eyes pierce into mine.

"Over my dead body." Python shouts, rage filling him.

"So be it, over your dead body it will be." The strange man lifts his sceptre and I hold my hands up and jump in front of Python. I close my eyes, expecting the impact. I look at the green dome around us, deflecting his beam. I shake under the force of his beam. I begin to grunt in pain, forcing the green energy out.

"Kestrel, you can't hold it forever." Python says to me.

"I…have a plan…" I wince in pain. God, this hurts I've never done this before and for this long. With that I open my palms and the dome grows until it knocks the mysterious man over. I breathe heavily, and then I turn. I see Python, a small dagger in his shoulder, I gasp and fall to my knees, surrendering. The mysterious man behind him had him in a lock, I watch Python struggle and wince in pain, I then hear his bone snap under the black haired man force.

"Who are you?! Tell me now!" I shout at him, desperate.

"I am Loki. And I know who you are, what you are. Get the answers you want, and you will find us." He says cruelly and I look at Python, tears in his eyes, blood running out of his black t-shirt.

"Shhh, it's okay. You're going to be okay." I say softly, wanting to reach out and touch him. I hear the roof door open, I'm facing away from it and don't want to turn around, I just want to be with him. His eyes flutter and he looks at me. He winces in pain.

"I'm sorry." He says, through breaths, quietly, wriggling in pain.

"Why?"

"I'm breaking…my…promise."

"No, no, no, no. You're not at all. You're going to be fine, trust me. Please." I cry, wanting to reach out and touch him. As I run forward and reach out, my tears streaming down and into my cut cheek, then he vanishes. I wail, I let the tears consume me completely, still on my knees. My Python, my sweet, beautiful Python. _Gone. Taken._ I turn to see 9 figures standing by the door. I only know 3, Director Fury, Maria Hill and Hawkeye. Hawkeye rushes over to me, as I turn to face where Python just was.

"Kestrel…who-"

"Loki." I spit. "Loki." I say even louder. "He did this, he took him."


	9. Answers

I sit in Director Fury's office.

Waiting silently.

I haven't said anything in 2 days, not since Python's capture. I swallow hard, even thinking of it…I can't even say the feeling I feel. It's like someone directly punches my bare heart. I didn't even think to ask who the people were on the roof that day, the ones I didn't know. I barely looked up from the ground but lingered on what I saw.

A red haired woman in black catsuit, like SHIELD ones, with hazel eyes. A person in an armoured suit, painted a maroon and gold, he didn't do subtle well I could tell. A blonde haired man, dressed in the colours of the American flags, spandex most likely, holding a star shield. The other blonde haired man caught my eye a little more, his red cape flapping in the wind, covered in a silver armour that fitted his muscular body well. All their faces showed a sober look as I passed them, my hair messy, face cut, bloody jeans and green eyes swarming with droplets of tears. Python was captured in a battle, Agent Greene had her _son_ taken, in a battle, a battle…I caused.

They were after me. Why? I think I have a few questions to ask Fury including this one. The skyscraper wasn't completely destroyed but it needed more than a sweep up to fix this. Many agents had died in action today. According to Hawkeye, it was normal for so many to die in massacres, I shook my head. Guilt made me deny everything, even my own name.

I sat in Fury's office now, in a pair of blue trousers and black v-neck t-shirt. I heard the door open, but did not turn to face him, or even show the usual gesture you were meant to make towards an official agent, especially the Director. He sat opposite me, Agent Hill was absent as she had suffered a broken arm. I looked up into his brown eye and he sighed.

"I am sorry about Python." Fury started, as most conversations people attempted to make with me now. "I know he meant-"

"I need answers, Director. I need them now." I wasn't in the mood for this bullshit. I just wanted answers. He folded his arms and nodded.

"You do, I know. Professor Stone." I look behind me, to see Dan on crutches stepping forward and sitting next to me, he smiles at me and takes my hand.

"We should have told you from the start." He sighs and I listen. "We wanted to create a super…agent if you will. Like Captain America, we wanted to make the perfect agent. The people you met, on the roof, they were the Avengers. A while ago, they saved the world. We took blood samples from each Avenger. Each had qualities we wanted to use, but however, not all of the DNA samples would infuse well. After trying and trying for half a year, we found the right combination. It was the blood of Hawkeye and Black Widow that would work, to create an enhanced agent. We included several qualities from Captain America himself too, using the technology we have now to further the progress made in the 1940's."

"Why are you telling me this?" I interrupt, confused by the significance in my discovery

"Please, just let me explain, please." He pleads with me, I look to Fury, he nods and I nod too. "We couldn't create another life, it would take too much time. We were under attack, frequently, much like today. Lives were lost and we needed to find someone to put the infusion in." He took a deep breath in. "So we went looking…and found you." I swallow hard, my face filling up with rage. "You were an orphan when we found you, a young 16 year old girl, lost and…previously abused. We took you in and infused you with the DNA of the agents. You were known as Zero-One from that day."

"Why don't I-"

"Remember? That's the part we still don't understand. But when we looked back at the records, your file stated that you were infused with the blood, of a Gamma radiated scientist." I shake my head, what is going on? "He was exposed to extreme levels of Gamma raditation, and when angry becomes…powerful. We did not authorise the infusion, however, so had no idea of the effect it would have once you awoke. Gamma raditation messes with your brain and abilities."

"Why I can shoot out that green stuff, then?" I say, patching up blanks.

"Yes, that's why. We also think that…those people who did what they did 2 days okay, were after you."

"So all those people died…for me?" I shut my eyes at the sentence, breathing heavily. "Python is gone, captured…because of me. Defending me. Defending one of your experiments gone wrong."

"It's not like that-"

"It is!" I shake Dan's hand off mine. "You didn't mean to put that Gamma radiation in me. I went wrong. Is this why I've never been let out? I'm called my experiment name?"

"Yes." Director Fury says, bluntly. I look at him, my eyes swarming with emotions. "You didn't go wrong, you just did something we didn't expect-"

"Am I nothing more than a lab experiment to you?"

"Zero-One-"

"Don't call me that!" I stand up. "I'm not an experiment, I'm a human. Or at least I was."

"Please, calm yourself-"

"Are you going to launch a rescue mission for Python?" I ask, I'm done hearing about this. I want to know more.

"What?" Fury asks, confused.

"Are you send a rescue mission for him?" He stares at me blankly. "I take that as a no."

"Zero-One we can't-"

"What is my name?" I suddenly snap.

"What?" Director Fury asks, peering up at me as I glare down at him.

"What is my name? My real name?" It goes silent in the room. "I've heard enough, I've had enough." I go to leave the room. I hear a gun click into action, ready to be fired. I stop and turn slowly. I see that Fury is pointing a gun at me.

"Don't move." He says, seriously cold in voice.

"What? Going to terminate your experiment? Your little fuck up?"

"If that's what it takes, then-"

"No!" I shout at him, violently. "You don't get to decide wether I live or die, because I'm not a lab rat, I'm not a little experiment. I'm a human." He lowers his gun and I exit the room, and begin the walk to my quarters.

...

I stumble into my quarters, and grab a bag. I can't stay here. I walk around in a fluster around my quarter and gather all things I need. I grab clothes, my gun, my mobile phone (I've never used it), my notebook and strap my bow and quiver to my body.

"Leaving so soon?" I turn to see Agent Greene standing in the doorway, her face red from crying. I feel an overwhelming feeling of guilt, my face flushes red from me controlling my tears. She wouldn't want to see the causer of her son's capture crying. "You know then." I nod "Kestrel, I don't blame you." I look to the floor.

"But I blame myself." I choke on the words and my tears flare out of my eyes. Agent Greene walks into the apartment and embraces me in a hug, we both cry into each other. She breaks the hug and hands me a book she was holding in her hands.

"He'd want you to see this." I look at the book and back to her "It…was where he wrote down all his dreams. Ideas." She then hands me a file, she hand in her hand too. "This is everything we have here on you. You might find it helpful."

"Thank you," I speak softly "it means a lot."

"Are you taking a mobile phone with you?" I nod, confused slightly. "Could I have a number to contact you on?"

"Why?"

"I'd like to see you at the memorial service we're planning for the agents we lost today, and to check up on the mission you're heading out on." I look up at her, and smile.

"I will find him, I promise." She smiles at me and rubs my shoulder in comfort. "When I leave this place Agent-"

"Please, call me Samantha."

"Samantha, when I leave this place, I cannot come back. They will hunt me down, I have to run."

"Then be there, from a distance. I know you see better from a distance. It's in your blood." I chuckle lightly at the pun and nod.

"I'll be there, at the service for the lost agents, just look out for me." I hug her and grab my bag. She escorts me to the 1st floor, making sure I blend in, before I know it, I have to run. More agents start to notice me, some try to stop me. One stands infront of me, I kick him in the crotch and I just run. I don't know where but I run through the door, ducking under the bullets aimed at my head and jumping over the bullets they aim at my legs, to slow me down.

I am free, but I cannot celebrate yet, I've got to run, hide.

I stumble into my quarters, and grab a bag. I can't stay here. I walk around in a fluster around my quarter and gather all things I need. I grab clothes, my gun, my mobile phone (I've never used it), my notebook and strap my bow and quiver to my body.  
"Leaving so soon?" I turn to see Agent Greene standing in the doorway, her face red from crying. I feel an overwhelming feeling of guilt, my face flushes red from me controlling my tears. She wouldn't want to see the causer of her son's capture crying. "You know then." I nod "Kestrel, I don't blame you." I look to the floor.  
"But I blame myself." I choke on the words and my tears flare out of my eyes. Agent Greene walks into the apartment and embraces me in a hug, we both cry into each other. She breaks the hug and hands me a book she was holding in her hands.  
"He'd want you to see this." I look at the book and back to her "It…was where he wrote down all his dreams. Ideas." She then hands me a file, she hand in her hand too. "This is everything we have here on you. You might find it helpful."  
"Thank you," I speak softly "it means a lot."  
"Are you taking a mobile phone with you?" I nod, confused slightly. "Could I have a number to contact you on?"  
"Why?"  
"I'd like to see you at the memorial service we're planning for the agents we lost today, and to check up on the mission you're heading out on." I look up at her, and smile.  
"I will find him, I promise." She smiles at me and rubs my shoulder in comfort. "When I leave this place Agent-"  
"Please, call me Samantha."  
"Samantha, when I leave this place, I cannot come back. They will hunt me down, I have to run."  
"Then be there, from a distance. I know you see better from a distance. It's in your blood." I chuckle lightly at the pun and nod.  
"I'll be there, at the service for the lost agents, just look out for me." I hug her and grab my bag. She escorts me to the 1st floor, making sure I blend in, before I know it, I have to run. More agents start to notice me, some try to stop me. One stands infront of me, I kick him in the crotch and I just run. I don't know where but I run through the door, ducking under the bullets aimed at my head and jumping over the bullets they aim at my legs, to slow me down. I am free, but I cannot celebrate yet, I've got to run, hide.

...

"Director." Clint Barton walked into to the Director's office in the New York headquarters. Fury nodded to the Hawk and he walked deeper into the office, to sit opposite him. "You have a new mission for me?"

"Yes, Agent Barton. A potentially dangerous agent has escaped, we need you to find her and-"

"You mean, Kestrel?" Fury looks at him, slightly shocked. "I was there on the day she flung that arsehole pupil into a wall, sir."

"Very well, I need you to silence her."

"Wait, what?" He looks at the director in shock. "You want me to kill her?"

"Yes."

"What are her crimes?"

"If the file wasn't stolen from the headquarters, I would tell you."

"I can't kill her then-"

"You will do as instructed, Agent Barton." Fury gained in impatience, he didn't have time for Barton's games. Hawkeye nods. "We have several points we believe her to be at. She will be up high. All will be explained at the de-brief in Conference Room 220."

"Yes, sir." He leaves the room, to go to the de-brief of the mission. Something isn't right about this mission. Something not quite right. He will question the de-brief agent.


	10. Struggling

I was running for ages, I don't know where I am but I know I'm safe. I sit in an alleyway (stereotypical, yes), hopefully a few miles away from the headquarters. Day number 3, I sit alone, hungry, cold and thirsty, my knees touching my chest. I'm still wearing the red shirt and jeans I left in, not even caring about the duration I'd been living in them for. Subject 01…that's who I was- no its who I am. They wanted to make a super agent, like a person called Captain America. The new names, new information, new lifestyle.

I can't go back to SHIELD, they'll lock me in a lab, and I can't just roam the streets forever. I cradle my knees for a few mintues, and then reached for my bag. All of me is weak and sore from running and trying to find food, I attempt to distract myself. I reach for the book Agent Greene gave to me before I left, the little blue book that fitted perfectly into two hands. It had the words 'Python's Book: Not for Mum's eyes' on it, written in his overly neat handwriting, reminding me of what I need to do. Find Python. I giggle and touch the words, my fingertips feeling the texture of the book.

I open it and smile at the pictures and words, each page holding his own ideas and dreams, everything from his first day at SHIELD, when he started the journal, to the night he was taken. He designed his own ideal sword in this book, engraved with the words  
'_Quid enim censes pugnare, certare non quis enarraverit vobis_,' on the blade and '_Corde credere, de te semper_,' on the handle.  
I had no idea what it meant, but I knew he spoke Latin. I flick through the pages, sometimes amused, sometimes worried. He was fascinated with the group called the Avengers, only now did I know who they were. He designed his own costume, I sigh and look at his sketch. It'd suit him well actually. Then I turn to the recent pages, talking about his training, the cuts he endured (I'd have to apologise for those), his favored moves and then he begins to talk about me. I read closely, becoming more and more nosy on each word. I begin the first entry on the right page.

"_I saw a new girl in the special agent class today,  
She's too fit for an underage agent. And she's good…a little too good for a little fish in a big pond like ours. I hope she don't kill herself, she's cute…"_

I chuckle at the words, so everyone did think that I was that way for a while. I remember my first day of SHIELD full of nerves, mistakes and slip-ups. I wasn't allowed to spar with the others for a few weeks and trained with another agent one-on-one.

I only needed to be trained one-on-one for a month, much to everyones surprise, the agent who trained me was called Agent James. He was British and his accent made me giggle at times, but he slapped me in the face if I did. His job was to make me ready for contact with the other agents but James, I think he got a kick out of beating me up. When I asked Python about him, all he said was he wasn't the same after the death of Coulson, another agent in SHIELD that died. I skimmed through the other pages and saw more about me and how he felt about our friendship.

_I actually talk to her a lot, I find the fact she hasn't got a name really odd. But she's lovely, too nice and innocent to be an agent. But as soon as she gets in the zone, she's fucking lethal…deadly but sweet._

I flush at the odd compliment. Deadly but sweet…I like that. I then flick to recent pages, and see a sketch of a red all-in-one suit, with a low cut, with some black armour on the shoulders, knees, wrists and chest, almost like a corset. The words next to it made my jaw drop

_Kestrel's outfit.  
We could so be like this, it may have to be done, she'd look gorgeous fighting by my side in it…_

He designed me an outfit, I shake my head in disbelief. I actually like it too. The all in one suit, with cut out shoulders, a holster for my weapons. It's a little creepy yet sweet. I hear voices and footprints gaining suddenly, I shut the book and see two men, both a lot taller than me. One had wide shoulders and the muscles to match, he wore a pair of black jeans and a ripped grey t-shirt, slightly covered in dirt. The other was skinner, but muscular, wearing the exact same clothing, ripped and dirty just like the one next to him. I looked down at myself and saw we pretty much had the same amount of dirt on us, just I had less rips. I sit up, eyeing the two.

"Afternoon, can I help you two?" I then stand up, legs a little wobbly, it was definitely a sign that this alleyway wasn't for me. They look at me and laugh. I scowl. "I amuse you?" I cock my head slightly, the seriousness concurs them.

"Yeah, you're a little kid on a street." The larger of the two says, his voice deep and it makes me shudder, it's scary, I hide my fear and stand my ground, after 3 days I was becoming more vulnerable. "It's fucking hilarious."

"This is going to be so easy, Ry." The smaller one says, I smirk at the two.

"This is hilarious you're right." I laugh, they look at me, anger growing. "You think you're going to get me to give you something?"

"No, we're only here for a bit of fun, really." The smaller one says again, his voice considerably higher than the other. They begin to start look more and more threatening as I realize what they mean by fun. I look down at my bag and kick it to the side, the bow and quiver taped to the side of the bag. I smirk at them as they both charge toward me, I run up the side of the wall, facing away from them. I only taking 3 steps to gain some height, as I land I kick one of them in the jaw, the larger of the two luckily. He stumbles and falls slightly to the right, so I could focus on the smaller man. I knee the smaller one in the groin and punch his chest with enough force to push him back a while away from me. I switch my focus between the two men, punching, kicking and using all the moves I can. Exchanging hits and dodging what I could with the little energy I had. The larger of the two doubled over in pain and I kicked him in the head and he collapses on the floor, dead or alive, I didn't care. I went to turn to the smaller man and I turned into a deep blade, hitting me in right side of my stomach.

I pause, in shock, in silence and in fear. Tears suddenly hit my eyes. It hurt, it aches, its excruciating. I look into the eyes of the smaller man, his eyes full of adrenaline as my blood pours over his hands, he yanks my necklace off my neck. I grab his face, with the little force I have left and I snap his neck, the sound is satisfying in my ears. I stand for a few more seconds and look around me, at the bodies and then at my bag. I take a step over to my bag and fall on the floor, exhaustion consuming me, the knife still in my side. I pull it out and squeal in pain, I turn to grab my necklace and then I crawl across the floor, wanting to reach my bag, one hand aiding my pathetic crawl and the other clutching the gushing blood coming out of my side.

My eye lids flutter, my arms become weak and I lose all feeling in my legs. Then something, or someone, flips me over to my front. I can't see who it is, I can only see an outline, speaking words I cannot hear. My vision is blurred over by tears, I am too weak and my eyes finally close, welcoming the unconsciousness.


	11. Helping Hand

"Bruce, what did you do?" Tony Stark said to the Doctor who had just closed the door to the medical section in the mansion they had recently just built together. They built it as a place for the Avengers to stay when they needed to, train when they needed to and come together when the world needed them to. It had taken them almost a year to do so, but the two had created a place for the heroes to be together, away from involving any unnecessary citizen deaths, too many lives were lost at Stark tower for their liking. Since the Chitauri attack, more and more threats were pushed their way, from different planets, some even from the villains on the earth. "I get helping her on the streets, but bringing her back here?"

"She was bleeding severely, Tony." He snapped at the billionaire, removing his thin wired glasses as he did. "I couldn't just leave her. Tony, she could have died."

"What are you trying to prove?"

"What do you mean?" Bruce folded his arms and raised an eyebrow at him.

"You don't need to prove anything to anyone anymore."

"I'm not. She was a girl in need, she was beaten pretty bad."

"I guess you're right, Banner." Tony sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Do you know much about her? From her bag?"

"I'm not going through her bag, Tony. Just wait for her to wake up." Tony then motioned towards the door of the medical unit. Bruce nodded and pushed the door open to a white room. 3 beds occupied a far wall and only one was occupied. The girl with greasy dark orange hair, a young looking face, hooked up to a heart rate monitor and oxygen flowing into her nose, her breathing steady and heart rate normal. Her face was still had a little bit of dry blood on it, her cheek cut and her bare arm bruised.

"How old do you think she is?" Tony said quietly, watching Bruce fluster around the medical room, grabbing a bottle of anti-sceptic and some cotton wool, he then sat on the chair he had vacated for a while now. Bruce then poured a little of the anti-sceptic onto a cotton wool bud and wipes the dry blood from her cut lip, dabbing gently and delicately.

"Young than 20." Bruce finally said after concentrating on the lip. He then placed the wool in the bin and turned to Tony, who looked at him, warmly. "What?"

"The way you just…are helping a complete stranger." Stark said whist walking over to Bruce, he looked down at the girl. "What was a girl like her doing on the streets?" Bruce shrugged, still keeping eye contact with the sleeping girl. "What is this world coming to... Coffee?" Bruce nodded and reached for the girls' hand, which was still tight in a fist. He turned over her hand and began to unfold her fingers, to reveal a necklace. Bruce picked the silver necklace up and held it up to the light. It was a bird shadow, with a red jewel on it, he read the words 'Kestrel' engraved on the bird. He was surprised the girl was able to hold onto this during the journey here, it must be important to her.

He walked over to the other side of the bed and placed the necklace on the bed-side table on the left of her unconscious body and looked at the bag which was leaning up against the small white table. Bruce noticed something that confused him, strapped next to the side was a black piece of curved metal, he eased it out of the side and held it in his hand.

"How did you get Hawkeye's bow?" Stark said as he walked back into the room, with two cups of coffee with him. He sat on the bed on the right of where the girl was, placing the cups next to another bedside table.

"It was taped on the side of her bag." He looked more at the bow in his hands, and noticed the front of it was engraved with a red swirled patterned. "Wait…it's not-"

"Hawkeye's" Bruce turned to face the bed to see the girl had awoken and was holding a gun in her hands, she had ripped out the oxygen tube from her nose and was sitting up. She wore a white vest top that Pepper said would fit her, it was a little loose but it was good enough.

"It's mine. Get off it, put it down." Bruce froze, as did Tony. Tony was standing up from the bed he was sitting on and she turned the gun on him, Tony held his hands in a motion that suggested he was no threat. She quickly turned to Bruce again. "Now." Bruce placed the bow on the floor and put his hands up, mirroring Stark's reaction. Her green eyes switched from one man to the other.

"Where am I? Who are you?"


	12. New Names

"Well?!" I shouted, becoming desperate. I was in a plain white room with two strange men either side of the bed I vacated. One was sitting on the bed, looking curiously at the other who was holding my bow. _My _bow. I found the gun was still strapped under my jeans, hidden perfectly, as it was designed. The person who brought me here had obviously changed my top but not my jeans, thankfully. I was sitting up now, holding this gun at the brown haired man who was holding my bow, he wore a dark blue shirt and a pair of light blue jeans. The man on the right was average height and was wearing glasses, peering at me with his dark hazel eyes, looking at me with surprise. The man on my left had almost black hair with a carefully crafted facial hair, almost like a fashion statement on his face. He wore a black t-shirt and some dark blue jeans. The man had a blue circular light in his chest, it was obvious even through his black shirt, he was taller than the man on my right and was more muscular.

"It'd be better if you put the gun down, for us all." The man on the right said gently and calmly, his hands in the air, a sign they were no threat. I didn't buy it, not now, not after everything that happened a few days ago.

"Tell me what I need to know and I won't even need to use it." I said confidently, ignoring the pain in my side. Fuck, it hurt right now, I shouldn't have got up so quickly.

"You seriously don't know who I am?" The man on my left said, slightly insulted.

"Stark, now is not the time. Okay?" I turned to the voice of other man, each twist and turn hurting my side. "I am Doctor Bruce Banner and that man there is Tony Stark." I tremble a little under the pain, looking at the two, placing names to faces. "I found you on the street-"

"How? Were you sent for me?!" I say quickly, scared. The gun was shaking in my hands, I loosened my finger around the trigger, not wanting to fire without reason.

"No, I heard your scream. You were stabbed in the right side of your torso," The one called Bruce Banner spoke calmly, his arms still in the air. "luckily it didn't do any damage to your lung, but it will hurt as any stab wound will. It has healed incredibly quickly, the damage. You're in the medical area of our mansion." I nod, lowering my gun slightly.

"Why…why did you bring me here?"

"You needed help, I wasn't going to leave you to bleed out." I nodded and lowered the gun completely now, satisfied with the answers. I put the gun on the table beside me, and saw my necklace, I snatched it possessively and placed it around my neck again. The two men still didn't relax, but their hands were by their sides. I looked at the two, terrified of what I was going to do next. I closed my eyes.

"Thank you." I said almost in a whisper. I sense the atmosphere drop slightly, calmer and softer. I look at Bruce and then at the one called Tony. He looks at me with his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Haven't I seen you before?" He says to me, pointing at me. I shake my head and he shrugs to himself, his lips pouting and I stifle a giggle. I turn to Bruce on my right.

"Thank you, really." I smile. "Sorry about the gun thing, I'm a little…jumpy and scared." I say shaking my head a bit, dismissing the look of the man who stabbed me.

"Well you sure got rid of them. They were dead by the time I was done doing basic checks on you." I blush, almost as if it was a compliment.

"Did you see-"

"No, I will not judge you for your actions." I smile at him. He seems like a good hearted man. "Your wound healed very quickly, how do you do that? Its remarkable." I shrug "There is only one other man who does that, that I know that is."

"Oh god, don't go all doctor on us, Bruce."

"Its in the title isn't it?" The two laugh. They are obviously close friends. "Do you need anything?" He turns to me. I shake my head and slouch back into the bed, feeling the stab wound sting still

"What's your name?" Tony asks politely.

"Erm-" before I can finish my sentence the wall starts to talk

_"Sir, you have a visitor from the SHIELD headquarters. Along with the others. " _I tense and almost stop breathing. I look at Bruce as he notices my discomfort.

"Thank you Jarvis, let them in. Lead them up here and I'll give them a full tour." I then suddenly jump out of bed. "Woah, where are you going speedy?"

"Thank you-seriously-really." I stutter over my words, I'm trembling. They've found me. "I've-going-I'm going yes, going. Thank you."

"Wait, you can't….you've been stabbed!" Bruce says, concerned.

"What floor are we on?" I ask, grabbing my bag, trying not to clutch my side in pain. I look up at the two who are both now standing a few meters away from me.

"Just the 1st. Just a staircase from the ground-" Tony said, proud. And with that I ran, trying to get out before anyone would notice me. I ran down a hall to what seemed was the direction of the staircase. It was, which I found out in the way I hoped I wouldn't. I was centremeters from colliding from the same man I was running from. It was silent and everything paused for the longest seconds of my life.

"Hi?" I said and Fury was about to grab me before I jumped off the railing and hit the floor hard, dropping my bag in the process, I thought about turning to get it, but instead I ran.

"BARTON, GET AFTER HER NOW." That was all I heard the Director say as I burst through the doors of the mansion. I now knew I was being hunted by the Hawk that never missed a shot.


	13. Shock

"Yes, sir." Clint said confidently as he copied the exact motions of the rogue agent he was assigned to hunt down a few days ago, he hadn't begun the search and he was already hunting her down. She had stolen some important science research from the agency, or that is what they told him. This was too easy, too convenient, quick job Barton thought to himself as he dodged another person on the street. He ran after the orange haired girl, down the streets of the Manhattan, her agility showing as she dodged person after person perfectly without giving away her position. He could now see why she became a specialist agent, Kestrel was fast on the ground. He copied her motions, trying to stay in the shadows as he was good at, then the trail stopped. She had slipped off into the shadows. Impressive, he thought, not many people could sneak away from him.

Hawkeye stopped running and found the nearest fire escape ladder and climbed it, after all the Hawk saw better from a distance. He grabbed his bow from his back and assembled an arrow in place. Using his scope to scan the streets, he found her. Then he stopped and lowered his bow.

"Sir?" He pressed his finger to his ear, activating his communicator devise. He was connected to people through this device, whoever had his radio transmitter in SHIELD could contact him and vice versa.

"Barton, have you got sight?" Fury said in his ear.

"Something isn't right, sir. You said she stole research, yes?"

"Yes, blood samples and discs full of important information that could go wrong in her hands, your point?!" Fury shouted frustrated into the device.

"Then why did she leave her bag behind?"

...

Back at the mansion, Fury and the Avengers had reached de-brief room at the top of the mansion and put Barton's communicator report on a loud speaker, the Avengers were now included on this case, courtesy of Stark and his tech. His last words lingered in the room. The Avengers all looked at Fury.

"That's a good point." Natasha said, sounding slightly insulted. "Why did she leave her bag of information…behind?"

"Not now, Widow. Barton," He said pressing the button of the loud speaker communication device in the middle of the table "you are ordered to eliminate all threats, she is one."

"Not without this bag." Natasha countered as she held up the bag. "Fury, why is there a quiver on the side of here?" She pointed to the side of the bag.

"The bow is in the medical unit, 1st floor." Bruce announced "It's hers, not stolen." All eyes in the room turned to Fury's one eye. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"This is all irrelevant, she is a threat." Fury demanded.

"Why is she a threat, sir?" Barton was obviously hearing the whole conversation.

"Yeah good point, Fury..." Stark started "She seemed perfectly safe to me, well not with a gun in her hand." He shrugged, lightening the mood.

"She had a gun?!" Steve joined the conversation. "How old is she, she didn't look old." He now looked at Fury.

"Eliminate the threat, Hawkeye." Fury was now full of fury.

"Not until you tell me why she is a threat." Barton countered. Fury sighed and looked at the table of eyes that was burning into him. He sighed. "The truth too, sir." Barton sounded angry now. Fury was procrastinating and didn't notice the prying eyes of Bruce as he reached for the bag, opened it and saw a SHIELD marked file. He held the brown file and looked up at the Director, his eye looking stern and angry.

"Dr Banner, what do you think you're doing?!" Fury shouted, he couldn't reach the file. Bruce opened it and read it aloud, purposely near the comms device.

"It's science information alright, Barton. But its about her." He looked up at Fury, Fury became annoyed and his fists clenched. "This is the truth, read all about it guys…Name, Subject 01. Date Of Birth, 3rd of August, 1994. She's only just 18, Fury!" He looked up in disgust.

"Wait why is she called subject 01-" Steve asked

"Let me continue." Bruce argued back.

"Ladies handbags away for now, she will eventually notice me, hurry up." Barton cracked through the comms.

"Sorry… Subject 01, a recreation of the 1940's Stark project of creating a super species of humans for our nation. Infused with DNA of the ideal humans of SHIELD, Subject 01 will be trained to fight as an agent for SHIELD, a superior specialist agent. DNA samples of the ideal humans will be broken down and combined to create a suitable infusion and placed into the catalyst…" Bruce stopped. Not believing the words he read. Bruce looked to Fury his anger showing. He had to walk away, his eyes flashing green, he had to control the other guy. His anger was persistent though. Natasha instructed Stark to calm him down. She read the words that made him angry and understood why. She swallowed hard and read the words out to Hawkeye.

"DNA infusion used, Agent Clint Barton, Agent Natasha Romanoff," She spat her own name out. "Captain Steve Rodgers…and Doctor Bruce Banner." She turned to Fury, her anger flaring in her eyes. Natasha usually hid her emotions well but this, was too much. "You have used our DNA, our blood…and not even told us?! You put it inside a girl and made her your little lab rat?"

"That's sick, Fury." Steve said, standing now, facing towards away from the table. "She is 18, how young was she when you started the project?"

"16, 17. I can't remember." Fury said quietly, the team turn to him, faces full of disgust. "She is a threat, threats should be eliminated."

"She's not the threat Fury, you are." Stark said, leaving Bruce who was breathing heavily in the corner, controlling the other guy from breaking out. "You've used an illegal infusion of DNA. You have to have it authorised by the donor, not taken."

"I can't just take it out of her."

"Why not?" Natasha asked, furious. Fury looked at her.

"Shoot, Agent Barton." Fury shouted, authority in his voice was hard and clear. "Shoot."

"No."


	14. Change of Plans

"No." Barton said again, pressing his index finger to his ear. His gaze still on the girl, who was attempting to hide from him, Clint liked her quick thinking and saw her potential. "This is your mess, I don't want to be the one to clear it up."

"This is an order, Hawkeye." Fury's anger hit in his ear hard, he fought the fact he respected Fury and countered Fury.

"I refuse, under the grounds that the mission has been changed."

"By who?!"

"Yourself, sir. She doesn't need to be killed. She needs to be helped." Hawkeye sighed. "She needs help sir, you don't understand. You've given her all this information…she's scared. I refuse to kill her. Its wrong. But I'm bringing her in."

"What?" He heard Natasha's voice clear in his earpiece.

"If I bring her back to the mansion, good job by the way Stark and Banner." Hawkeye said amused.

"You haven't even seen half of it yet, Hawk-" Stark started.

"Yeah Stark, we'll do this later. I'm going to shoot her with a light tranquiliser dart and bring her back, I'll need a way to get back. Dragging an unconscious girl through these streets won't look good."

"I'm on my way." Natasha's voice spoke in his ear again and he smiled. He looked at the girl through his scope, her body shaking. Poor thing, he thought. Clint was feeling something rare, sympathy. She was thrown into this, she didn't ask for it. Somethings didn't make sense, he'd have to hunt them down when he got back. She was scared. He took the shot and saw the girl collapse in a heap on the floor, people crowded around her, panicking. He jumped down the fire escape and ran to the scene, he did undercover well.

...

Natasha bought a black jet and wore her white shirt and black trousers, the two had told the growing crowds of people that they were doctors who were in the area and were going to take her to the hospital. People nodded and believed their story, they were good liars. They got in to the jeep, put the girl in the back seat, leaned her in a sitting up position, her cheek pressed to the window and set off back to the mansion. Jesus, Clint thought, she did run far and fast. It took them 15 mintues to arrive back at the mansion.

"Clint?" He looked over to the Black Widow, her red hair in a messy bun, her hands firmly on the steering wheel. "Whats on your mind?"

"Nothing." He said, looking away.

"Clint, you can lie to all those people, but not me. I know you're thinking about something." Clint sighed, she was the only person who could tell if he was lying, it was good and bad at the same time.

"Its just…her." He looked back at the girl who was unconsciously leaning against the window. She'd be out for about an hour or so.

"Did she even agree to the infusion?"

"I don't know and don't care, I just want my DNA out of her." Natasha spat her answer. She was furious with the illegal infusion. It was her DNA, her speciality in her.

"Tasha, there is no need to be so horrible-"

"Its horrible. Its your DNA in her too."

"But its made her life…better."

"Better?" the Widow shouted. "She's an 18 year old SHIELD agent, she could kill herself."

"But she hasn't. Don't you see that?"

"I see it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Nat, stop being so harsh. We don't even know much about her life beforehand. Lets not judge, please." Clint begged with her, his eyes pleaded with her, she faced forward and pulled into the mansion. She stopped the car once the huge gates opened and undid her seat belt, refusing to look into Clint's eyes. "Tasha." She huffed and looked at him. She planted a small kiss on his cheek.

"Lets get inside." She said and climbed out of the jeep. Clint mirrored the Widow's action and opened the back door and caught the unconscious girl as the window she was pressed against slid from under her heavy lean. He undid the seat belt and carried her in his arms, like he would hold a baby, her head leaning over the side of his arm and her legs dangling from his other arm. He looked down at her, silently breathing and then heard a loud cough from Natasha and walked into the side door of the mansion, holding the girl in between his arms effortlessly. He wondered what would happen to her once he let go of her, a lump in his throat grew. The sympathy Clint had was growing for the girl and he didn't even know why.

...

"Put her in this room, Hawk." Bruce said, directing him to a room and opening the freshly varnished wooden door. Banner had given Clint a brief tour of the mansion, he kept pestering him with the same question of 'are you sure you can manage her?', through the short look he had to the rooms on the 2nd floor. Clint placed the girl on the white sheeted double-sized bed and questioned to cover her in the sheets, so she looked as if she was sleeping and not under because of the tranquilizer. Clint walked over to the window and looked at the view from the room, it showed a green, healthy garden with some trees, encased in high red brick walls. The flowers of ever colour imaginable bloomed, some high and some low. "That's mine." Clint turned to see the calm doctor, sitting on the bed, next to the unconscious girl. He had taken the girl's shoes off and wrapped her up in the pure white sheets, freshly washed or bought recently, Clint thought. Bruce looked up to Hawkeye, his hazel eyes sombre, yet happy that someone had noticed his piece of garden. Clint stepped nearer the bed and looked down at the ginger haired girl.

"She was so scared." Clint said softly, his voice showing emotion for the first time in front of Bruce. "She was shaking, thinking I'd end her life. End her life because Fury couldn't keep his little lab rat hidden and contained." The Hawk clenched his fists hard.

"I know, it…I don't understand." Bruce said quietly.

"They wanted to re-make Steve, the great Captain America."

"But why use our DNA?"

"We are the best in our field at SHIELD-"

"But I'm not a SHIELD agent, I don't really work for them or possess anything they could possibly need." Clint stopped, he couldn't even answer that one, Banner had a point, he thought.

"Fury has gone too far now." That was the only thing he could say. "Did the file even have a name for her, a real one?"

"No." Bruce ran his fingers through his hair, trying to calm himself down. "Not even a real name she was just zero-one. That's sick-" He cut himself off, the green in his eyes flashed. He breathed heavily, wiping the sweat from his brow. The anger he was experiencing was extreme, even for him.

"Her boyfriend called her Kestrel."

"That'd explain the pendant she wore. Wait…she has a boyfriend?" Clint nodded, his lips quirking at the corners slightly, remembering the boy's face. "Where is he?"

"Loki took him, Python, and she left."

"Loki? I knew there was a reason Thor came back other than eating the entire content of our kitchen." There was a pause, a few seconds of complete silence. "What happens now? What do we do?"

"I don't know." Clint said quietly. And for the first time, he really didn't know what to do.


	15. Waking Up

I woke up, my eyes blurry and my head killing, legs aching and stomach very empty. Still haven't eaten in 4 days or so at a guess, getting weaker and weaker all the time now. My vision becomes clearer and I look up at the dark brown roof, and realised I was no longer on the run, I was captured. My heart beat fast and hard, if they'd got me what next?

"Hello sleepyhead." I looked to my side to see Hawkeye sitting on a chair, next to the bed I was lying in. The room I was in had little furnishing and smelt like varnish. I was wrapped up in the white sheets on this double bed, positioned in the middle of the room. The walls were painted a dark blue and two windows, the room must be bigger than it looked on the inside. I groan and place my hands to my aching head. "Yeah, sorry about that. You wouldn't have come quietly, if I didn't knock you out with a dart." I just about manage to laugh. I can feel my eyes widen and my body tick back into life, I attempt to push myself into a sit-up position, but my arms fail me and I fall back onto the pillow. I must be weaker than I feel. "When did you eat last?" His eyes became overwhelmed with a strange sort of care.

"Eh…pancakes Python made me, day I left. " I sigh, remembering the last time I saw him. "I guess it's been…4 days."

"Name your favourite food and I'll order it or make it or…what you want?"

"I want to know what happened right now." My voice was sounding weaker and weaker. Hawkeye looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "Please." He just looked at me, I sighed knowing he was going to remain stubborn until I told him what food I liked. "I like Mexican food. Good challenge for you, Hawk." He chuckled.

"Not the best cook, I'll give Bruce a shout, he's the cook here. JARVIS?" Hawkeye raised his voice slightly on the last word. I looked around expecting to see a superhero who could walk through walls to come in. Instead I heard a robotic, yet English accented voice echoing around the room.

"_Yes, Agent Barton?_" The voice said.

"JARVIS, will you tell Bruce to come up please? Oh and try not to alert the others in the house, please."

"_Of course, sir_." The voice then stopped. I looked up to Clint, confused.

"That's Stark's personal computer, he's built into the systems and we're able to use him for our needs. Powers his Iron Man suit too."

"So he's the one with the maroon and-"

"Gold suit. Yep. He was on the roof, the Avengers were called on that day."

"I'm guessing he isn't the most subtle of the Avengers." Hawkeye smiled at my comment. "Why were you all there? It was just an attack of SHIELD, we are trained for it."

"We were alerted to another Chituari attack and then Thor landed on earth claiming the man you had the unfortunate pleasure of running into had escaped, the one who took your boyfriend."

"Loki…yeah. I don't know much about the Avengers but I know Python has dreamt about meeting you all." I smile, missing him more and more with each day, his little quirks, his little flicky hair. Just him.

"You and him are-"

"Together, yes. Only a few weeks but…its proving to become difficult, hiding it all from the important people."

"Ah, the stupid SHIELD rule against inter-agent relationships."

"You had an inter-agent relationship, didn't you? Python argued with his mother about ours and used you as an example."

"We're still together, me and Natasha." I smile, I didn't expect him the sort of person to be in a relationship, maybe he did it for the kick, the idea of going against the rules. He had that way about him. "You might have heard of her as the Black Widow." I nodded, the name was vaguely memorable. "You'll meet her soon, but she won't be happy."

"Why? Have I done something wrong?" It wouldn't surprise me if I had.

"You've got her DNA in your veins, she's a little unhappy."

"I've got yours thought, aren't you…annoyed?"

"I'm not annoyed with you. More Fury." I wriggle a little, the heat hitting me. It is April and I'm wrapped up in these sheets, the conversation is also making me a little uncomfortable. "Do you remember your life before the infusion?"

"No." I say a little louder than I expected, tears fill my eyes. It is painful, knowing I can't remember my life before this. "Sorry, I just…don't understand so much." We then hear a knock on the door and we see a shy Bruce come into the room. He walked in with a stethoscope and a glass of water.

"You're awake." He said, pleased. Bruce rushed over to me and sat on my bed, I finally push myself up into a sitting position, he put his stethoscope in his ears and reached for my chest, it was pretty bare due to the low cut of the white vest top. The metal was cold against my skin and I stifled a breath. "You're doing okay. But you have to stop being knocked out, its not good for you." He then handed me the water and I drank it all, I forgot about not eating or drinking for a few days and what it can do to you. I looked up at Bruce and he smiled at me, warmly.

"Sorry, I needed that." I said nervously, worried I had done something wrong.

"Yeah, you still haven't eaten, I'm not letting you out of this room til you've eaten-"

"Stubbornness has been beaten already, Banner." Clint said amused. "Can you cook Mexican?"

"That's my favourite food, of course I can. Why?" Bruce then looks to me and smiles. "You like it too?"

"Yeah, I love quesadillas though. Chicken, chirzo and cheese…oh and a lot of spice."

"They let you have that food in SHIELD?" Clint asked.

"Well, covert agents under the age of 21 get a few days off a week, free training we call them. Dan made them for me once."

"Dan? Is that Python's real name?"

"No, Dan is Professor Stone. A scientist who was head of the project." I stop thinking about what he really did. "The turning-me-into-a-possible-weapon project." I sigh, the two Avengers are looking at me intensely. "Sorry, I'm still getting my head around the lies and…well everything."

"It's okay, we'll help you get through that." Bruce said, putting his hand on top of mine. I look into his hazel eyes of warmth.

"Why?" I say, unsure. "What do you want from me?"

"Nothing." Bruce says kindly. "We just want to help, I'll cook you some food. Don't leave this room until you're fed, okay?" He smiles at me and leaves for the door.

"Did he mean it, that you'll help me?" He looks up at me, his pale blue eyes glowing through the growing darkness in the room.

"What do you want?" He says politely.

"I want to rescue Python…and find out who I am. Or was. Or-"

"We will try and help, but Loki is on the loose. That's bad news."

"I can help, you know I can, Hawkeye."

"Please. Call me Clint." I smile at him and he smiles back, the idea of calling him by his first name…it meant a lot to me strangely. Agents never were called by their first names. "But what's stopping you from going right now and finding him?"

"I need the Avengers." I look at him and he looks up at me. "You've had experience with Loki before, I need your help. I need to find him, if I find him I find Python. Once I find him-"

"He's ours for the taking." Clint smiled at me, I look at him confused. "You may have picked up some traits from me, that was clever thinking."

"That was an excuse to inflate your ego, not a compliment to me." We heard another knock on the door, a harder, more aggressive one. I immediately shut my eyes and fall back into the pillow, pretending I am asleep, as the door opens. It's definitely not Bruce, that was way too aggressive.

"You're still here?" A female voice spoke, frustrated and angry at Clint.

"Yes, she needs to be attended to. She is sick, Tasha." Clint said calmly to the female voice. So the Black Widow was here too, I wanted to see what she looked like but I was too afraid of her cutting my throat open.

"She's not sick. She has our DNA, Clint, doesn't that bother you?"

"No, the only thing that bothers me is why and how SHIELD could do this to us. Its an illegal infusion and I want to know why. And who she really is." I felt his gaze on me and I also felt Natasha's hard cruel gaze burn into me, I wanted to open my eyes. "You can't hate her for this-"

"I think I can. She'll never be welcomed by me as long as she's got my DNA."

"Fucks sake, Natasha!" Clint said shouting. "Don't blame the innocent 18 year old, blame your precious Fury. Don't take your anger out on her."

"I can do what I like, Clint. As soon as she wakes up, I'm going to make sure I get the truth. She knows more than SHIELD's giving us. I will find out, possibly with my fists."

"I'd like to see you try. Bruce has taken quite a shine to her, he might have to say something about-"

"That's just guilt." Natasha rose her voice and sighed. "We still need to de-brief."

"We can't without her. She is under-"

"Custody?"

"She's not a criminal."

"It feels like she is." With that I heard the door close. I slowly open my eyes, to see that Clint is standing up, facing the door. He turns to me.

"Sorry-" I attempt to begin a speech.

"No, don't you dare try and blame yourself."

"I'm not. I'm apologising for the fact I don't know much more than the file."

"You…don't remember?" I shake my head. "I don't know, Clint…I…" I choke on the words, my sorrow building, he resumes his seat next to me. "I don't even have a…real name."

"SHIELD must have it on record."

"I asked them, they didn't know. I don't even know if I gave my permission."

"This is getting sicker by the second."

"Why?"

"You were only 16...17? When they infused the DNA inside you, you were so young." Clint ran his fingers through his hair. "What is your earliest memory?" I pause, think for a while and then I freeze, my whole body stiffens. "What is it?"

"Clint, I can't…" He places his hand on mine, I'm shaking, I have no idea why. The door then opens to reveal Bruce carrying a tray of food, he puts it on a spare chair in the room and runs to my side, he sits on the bed and places his hand to my head. I calm under his touch and breathe heavily. He must have been speaking to me as I could see his lips moving, but all I could hear was a white noise. Why was he caring for me so much? Why was Clint too?

"….come on….what did you do?" Bruce's words finally echo in my ears.

"I just asked her what her earliest memory was." Clint said, panicked.

"Her eyes are glowing green…" I swallow hard and close my eyes. "Kestrel? Are you okay?"

"I'm…fine." I say unsure of what my brain just did. I look at Bruce who takes a deep breath and Clint who runs his fingers through his sandy brown hair.

"Nice to see you're awake." I hear the familiar deep voice of Director Fury speak from my door. I tense and look at him, opening my eyes to see. "We need to have a chat, Kestrel."

"Sir, she needs to eat. Can't it wait?"

"20 minutes. That's it." I sigh and look to Bruce.

"Well, he wasn't going to stop was he? Got to face him at some point."

"Will you be okay?" Bruce said softly

"No more running. I have something to do, and I'm not staying in bed any longer." With that Clint passes over the tray of food and I eat. I was determined now, I had to find Python, I couldn't do this alone.


	16. A Deal and A New Avenger

**I really hope you guys are enjoying this! **  
**PleasePLEASE review as it'll help me, feedback will be helpful (:**  
**this is my longest fanfic and i really hope you stay with me for the ride :3 **  
**lotsa love, Cerrii(: xxx**

* * *

I walk next to Bruce through the halls to the elevator to the top floor, that is where the de-brief room was. I stand in the elevator dressed in the same white vest top and slightly wrecked jeans, I forget about my hair and just let it fall down my back in waves of bright copper.

"Don't be scared." Bruce said quietly.

"I'm not." I turn to him. "I'm a mixture of angry and worried."

"Its okay to admit you're scared, it's perfectly natural."

"I'm a SHIELD agent, we're trained to have little fear." I say coldly. Oh yes, I was angry. I walk silently into the black de-briefing room. It's massive, tinted windows everywhere, it makes it easier to keep a eye on what's going on, I could see the logic. In the centre there is a large oval table and 8 seats set out, the rest of the room is filled with screens stacked on screens, control panels and various other bits of tech. It is a contrast to the room I had been in, simple and little technology. The eyes of the Avengers showed mixed expressions, mainly concern and a certain obvious anger still in her eyes , I met a few gazes and smiled, knowing I was un-welcome. I sat down next to Bruce and Tony Stark, as I recognized these two. I sat opposite Hawkeye and a large blonde haired man wearing silver armour. Fury sat at the top of the oval, I swallowed hard.

"Hey.." I heard a whisper in my ear. "You look a lot healthier now you're not all beat up." I heard the faint whisper of Stark's voice and tried not to laugh, I just smiled instead. I looked to Bruce who was sitting in between me and Fury.

"Zero-One." I looked into Fury's dark brown eye.

"Yes, sir?" I said innocently, ignoring the fact he called me that…name.

"Start explaining yourself." He said at me, harshly.

"I'm not the one who has explaining-"

"That's an order."

"Where shall I start?" I asked, directing the question to the table, not really the director.

"The beginning, if you can." The silver armoured man spoke, his voice deep and his blue eyes looking into my green ones, studying me.

"Erm…well-"

"Start with what happened the days before the attack?" Bruce's voice said calmly to me, I nodded.

"Okay. Things started…getting weird 2 weeks before my 18th birthday, so not long ago really. Hawkeye came to teach a sparring class in the SHIELD unit I was being trained, not far from here." I look to Clint and he nods. "He placed me against an…enemy, if you will, of mine in the class, it was a normal sparring session to me. Until he pinned me to the floor and I got progressively angry and then…I created a green dome of energy around myself, causing him to fly off once he attacked me and I was able to move objects, well him, with the same sort of energy." I sped up the end of the sentence, hoping not to draw attention to myself and my odd powers. All of the eyes at the table faced me.

"You really did that?" Stark asked me, I nodded.

"I have seen the footage, it was quite horrible, but what does that have to do with this?" Natasha spat at me, I sunk into my chair, i was really intimated by her, and tried to hide it.

"After then, two weeks after, I heard a voice in my apartment." I look around at the table, their faces confused. "The male voice asked me to start asking questions about who I am. I shook it off, until the following morning, I had another visitor. Who I now understand is called Loki."

"Loki? He was there with you? In your quarters?" Fury asked, still angry.

"Not exactly there. I saw him, in the mirror he talked to me. But when I turned he wasn't there. That was the day of the attack."

"And you didn't alert anyone?" Fury shouted

"Where did you think I was going?!" I shouted back.

"Why didn't you know what Loki looked like?" A man on the further end of the table asked, his blonde hair shaped into a vintage curl over one side of his hair, he wore a blue shirt and his hands were in front of him, an expression of confusion on his face. "Everyone remembered that day."

"I don't. I don't remember a lot. And I don't know why." I turn to look at Fury.

"Zero-One was-" I slam my hands on the table, my fists echoing on the table, interrupting Fury.

"Stop calling me that! I'm not your little lab rat!" I shout at him, I feel the warmth of the green energy surging through my veins, I feel a hand on my shoulder, I turn to see Tony's hand on my shoulder, his eyes looking calm and I become calmer.

"What do we call you then?" The blonde heavily armoured man asks me.

"Kestrel, for now, until I find out my real name." I say, feeling liberated to finally chose my name.

"You don't know your real name?" The man in the blue shirt asked me, I shook my head in his direction.

"SHIELD forgot to note down that in my files." I spit my words at Fury. "So, Kestrel, please."

"Why that name?" The blonde man near the top of the table said, his hair pushed to the side.

"It was going to be my codename. A fellow agent gave it to me…a wonderful boy." I say, my words drifting.

"Why did you leave SHIELD?" Fury finally asked me.

"Isn't it obvious? You refuse to give me the answers, a certain agent gave me the folder, still was pretty low on real answers-"

"We told you all about the infusion."

"But that's not the whole story! I know it isn't. How did you find me? Where did you find me? Why me? And why didn't you ask the people if you could use their DNA?" I said the last question quietly.

"Why did you leave-"

"Because you refused to rescue Python!" I said, standing up. "I knew I was as good as dead once you found out that the attack was caused by me anyway. You wanted to terminate an experiment, well guess what, this one has a mind of its own. I will rescue Python, and the Avengers are going to help me."

"We are?" The blonde haired man in the blue shirt, with the neat hair said.

"Yes." I said confidently.

"Why?" He countered. I smiled and looked around the table, pausing a glance with Clint, I smile and nod at him.

"I need to find Python, Loki has Python. If you help me get Python back, you'll know to location of this Loki guy and you'll have him. You can put a stop to whatever he is planning." I look at the people at the table, they are exchanging looks of thought and ideas. "Helping me rescue Python in exchange for the capture of Loki. That is my offer." I sit down and look at Fury. The Avengers stand and move to a corner in the room, far from our ears, quietly musing in conversation over my offer, but Bruce is still interested in me, however, standing out of the circle slightly, his ears hearing the conversation I was going to have. "I still want answers from you, Fury."

"Why would I tell you anything if I'm not getting anything in return?" Fury countered.

"Name your price then, sir."

"I tell you everything, then you come with me, no objections. You will remain a SHIELD experiment, normal life will resume as it did. You become property of SHIELD again, never to question me, or any agent. Deal?" Fury raises an eyebrow. Bruce looks at me with concern and walks over, back to all that again? Property? A human was considered their property, I shiver at the idea but I am desperate for answers. I nod.

"Are you mad?" Bruce whispers quietly to me, I stand to meet his gaze. "He'll lock you up in a lab, like what they wanted to do Rodgers over there." He points to the blonde haired man in the blue shirt.

"He's called Rodgers?"

"Captain Steve Rodgers, better known as Captain America. He was the…you of his era, in the 1940's." I look at him confused. "I'll explain another time, but you can't."

"Bruce, I need to know." I say. The conversation around me stops and I turn to the Captain. "Have you reached a decision, Avengers?" the blonde haired Captain, whom I now know is Steve Rodgers, walks over to me and extends his hand, I take it in mine and we share a hand shake.

"Welcome to the Avengers Initiative, Kestrel." He says to me, his voice proud and confident. He was an obvious leader and it showed through every bone in his body. I stand shocked, I only offer to help them slightly, I didn't expect to be an actual…Avenger. Steve extends his hands out and he shakes my hand firmly, sealing the deal. I smile and squeal inside like a 7 year old at Christmas "Introductions are in order I believe, I am-"

"Captain Steve Rodgers, I know. Better known as Captain America. Bruce told me." I smile and he nods and gives a glance to Bruce. He then points my attention to the silver armoured blonde man, I can now see he is wearing heavy armoured sleeves and a red cape, his hands clenched on a silver hammer.

"This is Thor Odinson, he's the God of Thunder and Prince of Asgard." He then takes my hand and places a kiss on the back of my hand. I giggle.

"It is a pleasure, Miss Kestrel." He speaks in his overly posh voice.

"Please, call me Kestrel." I say smiling, before bowing my head. He gleams at the gesture of royalty I gave him. He smiles with his white teeth gleaming and I laugh quietly at his funny smile.

"You've met Bruce and Tony." I smile at the two, they are chatting and they look at me. "They built this place. Tony also owns the Iron Man suit."

"You built that yourself too?" I ask stunned.

"Well, yes. I am a genius and all." I laugh and Bruce hits him on the shoulder. Steve then walks me over to Natasha and Clint.

"You know Hawkeye and this is the Black Widow, Natasha-"

"No, she can just call me by my agent name, let her be a good SHIELD lab pet." She says angrily at me, I shuffle on the spot and look down. I walk somewhere else, far away from Widow's burning gaze. Steve then turns to me.

"Ignore her, she's just-" Steve says, sympathy in his eyes

"Pissed I have her DNA."

"Well…yeah. I don't understand really."

"Doesn't it bother you that I have part of your DNA then?"

"Slightly, but we can sort that out. You're not involved in that, I think you're the victim here."

"Thanks, I'm glad more than just one person can see that." I look at Bruce, who is having an amusing argument with Tony. "What does Bruce do? Like does he have any powers?"

"He is the Hulk, when he gets angry, you don't want to be in the room."

"Why?" I stare at the calm doctor, laughing and chatting with Tony.

"He turns into this giant green monster, with no concept or idea of what he is doing really. He awakes the next morning not remembering what he did or where he is usually."

"That's dreadful. How did he get that way?"

"Experimentation with Gamma radiation."

"I have some of his DNA?"

"I guess so. Fury seemed pretty damn annoyed when he realised you had some of his DNA." I shrug and think for a moment.

"So if you were active in the 40's how-"

"Am I here now?" I nod and look into his dark eyes. "I stopped HYDRA but I was heading for New York with a bomb, I had to land the plane but it was too late for a safe landing. I landed in the ocean and I froze over."

"You were frozen?" I say in disbelief, he nods.

"About 70 years."

"One hell of a beauty sleep." He laughs slightly. Then it hit me, the smile disappears as a reality hits me. "They wanted to make me into you." I look down at the floor

"What?" Steve looked down at me

"I am infused with all this power…because of you…your success. They wanted to make another you, but they've failed."

"They haven't failed, you're alive and well. That's no where near a failure."

"But you…could have killed yourself for the sake of one city. I'd never do that. I'm not the good person you are. They failed the experiment."

"Everyone is good, they all have good in them, you just need to find the person who brings it out in you." I notice Bruce standing behind us, waiting to say something. "You're going to risk your life for this boy, that's good to me." I smile, knowing that he thinks I'm good gives me peace. I then turn to Bruce, he smiles at me.

"Want a tour then?" He says happily. I nod, enthusiastically and walk out of the de-brief room with Bruce.


	17. The Tour

"…and this is the living room." Bruce finally shows me to a large wooden room with a massive plasma screen and 3 large sofas in it. I look around at it, fair play, Stark had style. The rooms were all navy or had navy carpets, this room had a wooden floor and half of the room in navy the other with a wooden panel reaching to the floor. In each room a connector to JARVIS had been put in, so all could be attended to by the computer device. A computer butler, I was guessing. It was like a high tech wonderland, I had no doubt that if i hit the walls hard enough, some computer screen or some posh technology would come out from the wall.

"This place is…amazing. Just one thing wrong, well two." I stick my tongue out slightly. Bruce looks at me and rolls my eyes. "No garden is one-"

"Oh, we have one. Well I have one."

"You have a garden?!" I say excited. He nods and leads me through a few more doors and he unlocks a gate to reveal an average size garden, with two trees, either side of the garden. The whole garden is contained in three red bricked walls, a large lawn with a pattern of flowers around the side. The soil beds curve around the inside and outside of the emerald lawn and have solar lights placed in the beds or in the lawn. I begin to trail around the garden, remembering the flowers from a book I found in the SHIELD library once. I walk around with Bruce at my side, he talks through each flower, I nod, even though I know the names off by heart.  
"Those are a selection or Carnations, some Heather by there. A Hyacinth, some Tulips-" I pause and look in curiousity

"What's that flower, the closed up one?" I point to a closed, a green fading into a dark red at the tips and white growing through the green casing of the flower.

"It's an Amaryllis. One of the most beautiful, in this garden. It is due to bloom soon, a spring flower."

"It's a beautiful name too. I've never seen one before, these other flowers I can recognize even not in bloom." I smile at Bruce as I touch the budding flower, the feel is smooth against my touch.

"Oh yeah, what about that one?" He pointed to some flowers in the far corner.

"That is going to be an Allium, the onion shape gives it away."

"That one?"

"Daffodils, they are almost bloomed." Bruce looks at me in awe.

"How do you know all this?"

"When you're locked inside a SHIELD base…you pick up books. I've always wanted to be in a garden and see flowers, I never really have. If I have I don't remember." I chuckle a sarcastic laugh. "Your garden is beautiful, Bruce."

"Thank you. You said there was something else missing here though? What is it?"

"Oh it's nothing, just me being…me." I giggle and look into his brown eyes.

"C'mon, you can tell me." He smiles at me.

"A piano." I laugh at myself.

"A piano? Why is that?"

"Python had one in his quarters, a present from his mother. When I first met him, it was because I walked past his quarters and heard him play, not long after he turned 18 actually. I popped my head in and…we played for a few hours and got to know each other. We were late for Biology." I chuckle to myself, the memory was so real in my head.

The short haired Python, playing in his quarters, in late November. They take the covert agents in earlier and earlier each year, he started 6 months before his 18th and I came in 3 months later. The following April I turned 17 and we sat at his piano and wrote a piece together. He was the first one to extend the offer of a friendship. I sigh, he would be so jealous of me. Being an Avenger, being here. Bruce puts his hand on my shoulder, I jump a little. "Sorry, I got lost in my mind again, I do that a lot."

"It's okay, sorry about the piano. None of them have the time to play the piano." I laugh.

"Saving the world and all. Why did you say 'them' not 'us'?"

"I'm not usually called, into action if you will. The other guy still doesn't understand the idea of allies and friends, like I do." He smiles, sadly. A man with two sides to him, one he can't control.

"You get angry and...you become him." He nods "When I get angry I shoot out anti-gravitation energy and create little force fields."

"That's easy to control. You just think it happens when you're angry, but you're in control. Just believe that. Someone must have injected you with my DNA for a reason."

"It wasn't authorised by Fury…someone tapered with it-" I stop and then its hits me. I run into the mansion again, ignoring Bruce's confused calls and cries and race up the stairs, reaching the floor of the gym I find Steve and he looks at me, seeing the stress on my face.

"Kestrel?-"

"Loki is in the SHIELD base. He's been there for months."


	18. Crazy Ideas

I sit in the de-brief room for the second time today, the moon rising in the background. The Avengers are seated and I called for Fury too.

"Why the hell am I back here?" Fury said, stomping in through the door, Maria Hill following closely behind, she was obvious back at work. His leather coat flapping in the wind like a cape, like the one Thor has.

"Sir, please." I plead and direct him to a seat. I look to Steve who has sworn to help me explain my cause. "I think I know where Loki is." Faces on the table become shocked.

"How? Where?" Thor asks.

"Bare with me when I tell you this. I think he's been under our nose the whole time. I think he's at the SHIELD base, here in New York." The room went quiet, Fury gave me a look, but I couldn't tell what it said.

"That's outrageous." Widow was the first to speak.

"No, I know for a fact that the infusion of Bruce's blood wasn't authorised, what if someone was there to tamper with the infusions? Or even keep an eye on the infusions? Loki and the little grey things-"

"Chitauri." Steve added.

"Yes…those things. They attacked the base because they wanted me, that's what he said on the roof. What if they have been under our noses the whole time, planning to use me at a later date."

"It still doesn't explain why they would put Banner's DNA in you." Clint said, patching everything up.

"They thought the blood would have the same effect on you as it did Banner." Fury spoke, his words finally arriving in the conversation. "They wanted to create something we couldn't handle, something that would eventually fall into his hands without even trying. You were never our weapon, you were Loki's."

"Either Loki himself or one of the…Chitauri, was there."

"It's a ridiculous theory." Natasha spat at me.

"Got anything better to go on Na-ta-sha?" I said teasing her with the use of her own name. She looked at me, her eyes attempting to intimidate me. "I didn't think so." I said confidently.

"We did recruit new scientists before the infusion-"

"Wait, Loki has only just gone missing now, right Thor?" Clint spoke out.

"We found a fading projection of him in the cell-" Thor looked up, realising what he had just said. "Odin's beard! He's been gone and we haven't even noticed!"

"That is if my theory is right, Thor." I remind him. "Director, what do you want to do?" He scratches his head and leans forward in his chair.

"We'll need to check the files, faces and backgrounds of all the scientists employed in the past 3 years. We'll also need someone undercover, check if anything is going on that we can't see-"

"You can't be serious, Fury." Natasha says, loudly. I roll my eyes. "You're going to do a check because _she_ says so."

"I hate to agree with Kestrel, but what else have we go to go on? We've got a mass murdering god of mischief on our hands and you want us to what, wait? No. We'll begin investigating immediately. But there is the problem of putting one of you undercover."

"I'll do it." I say, confidently. "I'm good at blending in."

"You can say that again." Clint says amused and I smile, controlling a little giggle from escaping.

"No, your face is too well known." Fury says, thinking.

"What about me?" Bruce says politely.

"We're trying to fool a trickster here, as I've been told, we need someone…" I pause and then it hits me. "What about Agent Greene, Director?"

"Agent Greene isn't an Avenger-"

"But she has all the training needed to protect herself, her son is an expert in undercover skills because of her. I know this." I close my eyes "She will help us get her son back, I know she will." Fury looked at me, his eyebrow raised and he then nodded. "Shall I phone her then? Get her here or will we be continuing this at HQ?"

"Leave that to me, Kestrel." I nod.

"Who is Agent Greene?" Steve asks me, as I sit down next to him. I only then realise everyone else at the oval table is waiting for me to explain.

"Agent Greene is Python's mother, she taught me English Literature and Language at the SHIELD recruit school. Her son and her were amazing a undercover work. I know she's not full of super powers and abilities…but she is good in her field. Putting any of you there…it could be a risk of giving the mission away." I say, confidently, proving my maturity through my tone. The people around me nod and Bruce smiles at me, strangely, Director Fury then stands.

"Kestrel, may I speak with you?" I nod and leave my chair, walk with Fury until we reach the doors, we stop just by the side.

"Yes, Fury?"

"If you get any of these people injured or killed because of your crush, I will make sure you never live another day." He spat at me.

"Excuse me?!" I say, whispering not trying to draw any attention to myself.

"You heard me, Agent." And with that he storms out the room with his favourite agent behind him, Maria smiles at me sadly before leaving the room and I turn to see the Avengers are oblivious to his threats. I walk out of the room, and head for the roof, I know I'd be safe there.

* * *

The Avengers turn to see the girl leaving the room. Bruce goes to stand up, Tony grabs his arm.

"Leave her for a while, it's been a hectic few days for her." Tony says, Bruce nods and sits down.

"I can't believe you made…_that,"_ Natasha spat venomously at Steve "one of us, an Avenger."

"She is a good person." Steve said calmly "My decision was perfectly justified. Everyone but you disagreed with the decision."

"Come, Miss Widow." Thor said, his booming voice loud and happy "It will be most enjoyable to have a new warrior on our team! I like her, she has respect and-"

"I can't trust her, not at all." Natasha said, interrupting what would have been another Thor rant. "She doesn't remember anything. I think that's suspicious."

"Something is blocking her from remembering," Clint spoke against Natasha, which was rare. "I asked her a question about her past, her eyes glowed a neon green and she had a fit. There is something blocking it."

"Gamma radiation." Bruce said, his hands in front of him. "Because of her age, it is possible that the gamma radiation have been thriving and feeding off the memory cells." Bruce sighed, sadly.

"What does that mean?" Tony said, looking at Bruce's concern.

"Kestrel is having her memories removed by the radiation. Fury needs to tell her what happened to her."

"What happens if he doesn't want to, maybe it's bad?"

"He'll have to take that risk but she needs to know-"

"Oh for God's sake, enough about that annoying little girl!" Natasha shouted. "Loki, we have to find him."

"We have a link, Natasha." Steve said glaring at her.

"You believe her?"

"Yes, and you are too." Bruce said before standing up and going to look for Kestrel. "Deal with it."


	19. Born A Stranger

I sit, cross legged on the roof, my eyes closed. I am soaking up the atmospheres of city and actual joy of being allowed outside, knowing that I could jump from the roofs, walk in parks and go for dinner out. I can't remember the last time I did that, much like everything else in my life. I just can't remember, anything. Placing my thumb and index finger to the bridge of my nose, I focus on finding my memories. I must have a family somewhere, anywhere? I just want a name, more than anything. I close my eyes tighter and see nothing, opening my eyes I hear the door to the roof open. When I turn I see Bruce, smiling a warm smile, wearing his glasses and his brown chinos and a purple shirt that suits him well. I smile back at him.

"Lucky that Tony didn't put a pool up here." I smile, not feeling the laughter I'd give usually. "Who's Python?" Bruce sits next to me and looks at me, his eyes showing nothing but trust and care. I sigh, and my eyes refuse to look at him.

"He's…my boyfriend. Now don't say it's not worth it because I'm young and love doesn't happen, as I know that. Love doesn't happen to people like me, but Python…his real name is Nathaniel…." I stop at the fact I called him by his real name. "He was the only one in SHIELD who was my friend, apart from the scientist who stuck needles in me every other day. He's my real friend, he'd celebrate my birthday, stick up for me. Python gave me my codename." I giggle and take a breath, the memories are sweet and welcoming, I remember the time he punched Gem in the face, Python wasn't scared to hit a girl for me. Python never showed fear and that was comforting. "A few weeks before the attack, we became a couple, secret though, emotions built up I guess, it felt right. He swore he'd never leave me and help me, help me find out who I was. I owe him the same promise." I look up into Bruce's eyes, his eyes showing sorrow and understanding, tears begin to cloud my eyes. "I really do owe him the same promise, Bruce. I'm not leaving him to die. He accepted me whilst everyone else hated me." I sob more and more heavily through the sentence I was speaking, before I knew it, Bruce had shuffled over closer to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"It's okay to cry, Kestrel."

"I was trained to hold all emotions in." I say through tears, amused at my own idiocy.

"You're only 18, you're taking on things that are way beyond what you'd expect." I shrug. "It makes you more deadly, they don't expect it. Like those arseholes who attacked you on the street." I look down to the direction of my wound. It was almost healed now, I have Steve to thank for that, having such nice DNA. "You're allowed to voice your emotions, I can tell you're hiding them."

"I voiced them when Fury called me my experiment name." I say, snuggling into his arm a little more.

"And you shocked everyone, it was brave."

"Thanks." I smile, through bitter tears, but I still smile.

"You shouldn't have made that deal with Fury." He said seriously, I look up to see his eyes worried.

"Why?"

"I don't trust him, he…might do something to twist the deal."

"What could he possibly want?" I look at him, confused. "He wants me back in my place, that's all." I smile, assuring him it's not going to end horribly. "What do you remember of your family?" He shuffles uncomfortably and takes a deep breath in. He faces me and he nods.

"My dad, Brian, was abusive and obsessed with his work. " His face turned sombre, remembering hurt him, I knew I'd asked the wrong question. "But my mother, Rebecca, loved me and cared. Once he began to abuse me, my mum stood in the way. He lost his sanity and killed my mother. I lived with my uncle from then on."

"I'm sorry." I said, choking on the words.

"It's fine…I've never talked to anyone about my past before. Not to any of the Avengers."

"Not even Tony?"

"Not even Tony." He repeats, I look up to him, his brown eyes piercing into mine. "Your eyes are just like my mothers." He says softly.

"I'm glad that's a good thing." I say, repeating the softness in his voice.

"Why do you want to find out who you were? Surely you're happier being who you are now?"

"Yes and no. I don't have a name, even if it's only a first name, I'll settle for it. I wonder…what name would I have? It's weird thinking you're…a person without an identity. Born a stranger because you know nothing but these past 2 years." I sigh. "Maybe that's why I want Python back so bad, I felt like someone with him."

"Hopefully in time, you'll feel like someone here too, Kestrel."

* * *

"So you've never been out of the SHIELD base til now?!" Stark asked me early in the morning, I came down in the same clothes I had worn the other day, Pepper took a notice in me, her smile welcoming and polite. I sat in the massive kitchen, at the breakfast bar, I shook my head at the question. Tony and Bruce had offered to make breakfast for me, since neither of them could agree who would cook, they both were. "How did you get your clothes?"

"Professor Stone bought them for me. He made my bow too. But honestly, we remained in our suits. But yeah, Professor Stone, he did my dirty work I guess. " I smile remembering the goofy, shy, jumpy ginger. "He was a mate, but one who had an obsession with testing on me…" Stark laughs.

"Not all scientists wanna poke you and take your blood." Stark said warmly

"No…some scientists drink scotch and think they are geniuses." Bruce teases Stark and he picks up the near baguette and hits Bruce with it, I laugh hysterically, it's like watching two brothers fight.

"Good morning to you all!" I heard a big booming voice, a voice that is too loud for the morning. I turn to see a forever jolly and happy Thor. "Miss Kestrel, good man of Iron and...calm Banner, it is good to see you well on this morning." Thor sits next to me at the breakfast bar, almost breaking the tiny stool under his pure muscle, his shoulders so wide he almost knocks me over. "When will we begin the search for my brother, man of iron?"

"When Fury gives the call, he'll be found."

"Who's your brother?" I ask, Stark and Thor look at me and Tony raises his eyebrow at Thor, he nods.

"My brother is Loki, Miss Kestrel. A while ago, he attempted to take over this world with the Chitauri, the creatures you ran into at SHIELD." I look at the blonde haired prince with a gaping expression.

"But you're nothing alike-"

"He's my half brother. Born a Frost Giant, taken into my home, raised my brother. He was the King of Asgard for a while too, during my banishment on Midgard." I raise my eyebrow. "Earth, sorry. I then returned after narrowly escaping my death at the hands of Loki, and vowed to protect this realm as my own, that is why I am here also, Miss Kestrel. But back to the subject in hand, Loki is my brother, the God of Mischief, almost Evil…and needs saving."

"Isn't he the dangerous one?"

"He needs saving from the evil in his heart, it is not my brother."

"So…he tried to take over Earth, kill you and you still believe in him?"

"Why, yes, he is my brother. Loki is still family to me, would you not react the same?" I look down and shrug at the floor. "Oh, Miss Kestrel, I apologise I was out of order."

"It's okay, you weren't to know, Thor." I look at him, his eyes wary. "So you're a God?"

"Yes." He smiled a big pearly smile.

"Not bad job then." He booms a laughter that almost knocks me off my seat. "So Asgard is…another planet?"

"Another realm. Part of the tree of life, Yggdrasil."

"What?" I look at Bruce and Stark, confused, they laugh at my confusion but I swear he is speaking another language. Bruce then puts a plate of pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs in front of me and a packet of pop tarts in front of Thor, he begins explaining worlds of wonder to me, confirming we are not alone in this world. He refers to a realm of ice, fire and his own golden realm, Asgard. I have finished my breakfast by the time I am allowed to ask questions, his speech enthralled me so much, I stayed quiet throughout the whole thing.

"So, why stay here? You've saved enough lives to have a break, surely. You live in a glorious golden…realm." I say, pushing my plate away, facing him more directly. Bruce and Tony have joined the conversation at this point, haven eaten with me, now leaning against the opposite side of the breakfast bar. Thor blushes a slight red, almost matching the red cape he had around his shoulders. I turn to Tony for answers.

"He has a special girl here." Stark says raising his eyebrows, I turn to Thor giving him a big smile.

"That is correct." He says after a pause. "Jane Foster. I found her when I was banished here many years ago, I have not stopped loving her since and I wish to make her my wife." Tony and Bruce snapped up to smile too, this was obviously new news to them too.

"That's so romantic, Thor. Can Gods marry…us?" I asked, my mind wandering off into every question I can find.

"It is uncommon, but my father may make an exception." I smile at his optimism, always hoping for the best. "You must always believe the best will come out of every situation, Miss Kestrel." The God spoke his words like a passage from a book, reading my mind perfectly. "Jane says that to me always, and I believe it." Thor then stood and nodded his head and leaves the kitchen. I linger on his words, his optimism bright and contagious. Maybe he is right, Python could be alive, fighting and looking for me, but Loki seemed dangerous, the dark mystery of him was wiped out from Thor's history lesson but he still seemed like a stranger who had the ability to shake my world upside-down.

"So, shopping today, yeah?" Bruce interrupts my thoughts, I was staring at the marble unit, unaware of him.

"Oh, what are you getting?" I say politely, he looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

"You some clothes."

"I have no money, I can't afford any at the moment."

"She's joking right?" Stark said joining in the conversation. "We're buying you clothes."

"Oh, no, no. Seriously. No. That's your money, guys." I say shocked at the kindness. "I can't-"

"We've all pulled in." Bruce said sweetly. "Hawkeye, Cap, Stark and I. Thor would have…but he doesn't have money, or normal clothes. And Widow-"

"Hates me." I said finishing off his sentence. "Look, it's a lovely gesture but I can't accept that money."

"You're not getting a choice, you don't have anything to wear." Bruce said gesturing me to stand up, I stand up and smile at his kindness.

"You need a suit too. Gotta be suited up for action." Tony says shrugging on a jacket.

"Like…a suit to fight in?" Tony nods at my question. "I know what I want already." I say out loud. Tony shrugs and nods.

"Whatever you want, we can make. Now…lets get you some proper clothes." Tony picks up his phone and dials a number. "Pepper! We need your help."


	20. Shopping Trip

"How about this?" Pepper says to Kestrel. Bruce looks at the young ginger haired girl who is clearly exhausted and not used to hours of shopping, her enthusiasm fading. Kestrel nods at the purple and blue checked shirt, then looked back to him, she shrugs her shoulders and he laughs at the girl's expression.

"What is it with you and that girl, Banner?" Stark breaks his glare and he looks at his overly generous friend, they went over budget about an hour ago. "You've known her a few days and-"

"Nothing." Bruce shrugs and smiles.

"Bruce, I know you're actually starting to care for her, I can see that."

"Care for her how? She's 18!-" Bruce begins in outrage

"Like she was your kid." Bruce considers his friend's words and looks at the ginger girl who picks up a piece of clothing of her own choice for the first time and studies it. It is a teal asymmetrical formal dress, he notices the words she says 'if only', and places it back on the rail, following after Pepper. "You are allowed to care for her, you know. Everything you've been through."

"Not when I'm a human hiding a monster. I cannot love."

"Bruce." Tony sounded as if he had sincerity in his voice. "Your past…you didn't have a family."

"Your point?"

"She doesn't either, she doesn't have a name to call her own. Do something nice for her."

"I know exactly the thing." He smiles and looks at her. "Can you keep her occupied once we're done here?"

"Yeah, sure. Why?" Tony says, acting like he knew nothing.

"I need to go to a music shop…and buy that dress." He looks at Tony. "Do we have a free room?"

"We have plenty of those"

* * *

I wait at the end of the check-out of the shop, feeling guilty that people are buying me things more and more, Tony had to get out more money due to Pepper's insistant 'Oh, this will look nice' and 'you have to get this!' I smile at Pepper who is paying for the clothes, she is the first female in the Avengers equation to really take interest in me, Natasha just shuts me out…and scares me.

"Where to now then?" Bruce says from behind me, I turn to see him holding all the bags.

"Where can I go from here?" I ask, mid laugh. "Can I help you with the bags, Bruce?"

"No, no need at all, Kestrel." He smiles his infectious smile. "I need to sort out a few more things, before we head back. So you, Tony and Pepper can head out for something to eat?"

"Not wanting to come with us?" I say, sadly.

"I'll catch up with you at the mansion later." He says reassuring me, for some strange reason.

"What's the plan now then?" Pepper's heels clicked on the floor and stood right next to me.

"Well Bruce can't join us, but we can go for a meal?"

"That sounds lovely, we'll see you back at the mansion then Bruce?" Tony says and smiles at Bruce. I look at the two confused and Pepper shares the same confusion, we laugh together.

We stop at a small café, one that Stark goes to often but I insist we sit outside as the weather is gorgeous for mid spring. We are seated upstairs on the balcony and treated like royalty. I chat with Pepper and Tony over a large pizza between the three of us. Pepper tells me about her work as the CEO of Stark Industries and Tony tells me about how Iron Man became…Iron Man. The stories they tell me of captivity and shrapnel reaching his heart, the story of the arc reactor blows me away.

"So…Loki, where does he come into all this?" I ask changing the topic and reaching for a slice of pizza.

"Loki tried to enslave the world, took a cube called the Tesseract and pissed a lot of people off." Stark said simply.

"With those grey things that attacked the Manhattan SHIELD base?"

"I think so. I just don't understand why they are back, I threw a nuke at them."

"So that's the life of an Avenger?"

"Pretty much, throwing nukes, avoiding death and saving people from enslavement from demi-gods."

"And when you're not doing that you're all geniuses?"

"Well… that's just me and Banner really."

"Show-off." I say and Pepper laughs with me. I bite into my piece of pizza and the couple I'm sitting opposite look at each other.

"What do you do?" Tony asks me out of the blue, I finish eating my mouthful and raise my eyebrow. "When you're not a super SHIELD agent?"

"Nothing really. I train more, this is the most time I've had free." I say confidently. "My day consisted of blood tests, normal lessons like Science and English, History, more blood tests, training and sparring with Python and if I could I'd do my hobbies like reading, drawing and…playing the piano."

"You play the piano?" Pepper asked happily. Tony and Pepper look at each other, as if I triggered a private joke.

"Yep. They don't teach it to you at SHIELD but it came in handy one practice mission."

"So you've never been on a real mission?" Tony says looking at me.

"Nope, many practice ones. We're not 21 yet, we can't be put on them. We're always in partners though."

"You had your own partner then?"

"Not officially by SHIELD, but in a way, yes."

"Who was your partner?" Pepper asked me, curious about my words. Tony nudged her and he shook his head at her.

"His name was Python." I said, ignoring the two giving each other signals to move on. I needed to speak about him, it could help. "Two people at SHIELD accepted me, he was one of them. We worked well together." I look at the shocked faces "I can talk about him, you know."

"Its just…you haven't-" Tony stutters

"Until now?" Tony nods. "I have good memories, they comfort me. This practice mission we went to a masquerade ball undercover, and went after someone who had a 'plan' to kill everyone in the grand hall with a bomb that was under the hall. We had 2 hours to save the 300 people in the hall. It's all fake and staged but we treated like a real one." I took a breath in "I was a hired musician and Python was a general invitee, identifying the target, it took him half an hour. Just as the target got suspicious, I walked up to the piano and I played my song, the target focused on me and Python reached the target and require the piece of paper with the code out of his pocket and diffused the bomb within 15 minutes. Too easy really." I smile at the two.

"You are a good team then?"

"I'd say so, yes. A big fan of the Avengers too, he'd be so jealous of me now."

"Well, you never know, he might become one too." Tony shrugs and I smile.

"He'd like that. Should see his diary, all he talks about is you guys. And me." I blush and remember the entries. I look down at the floor, his diary in my back pocket, Pepper asked briefly about it earlier but I shook it away.

"If you're going to fight with us, you need a suit." Tony said changing the subject quickly again.

"What?"

"Well people know Cap for the costume, me for the suit. You need one too, I mentioned it earlier. You got the design on you?"

"I do actually." I say surprised. I reach into my back pocket and pull out the red book, find the page and hand it to Tony. "Python designed it."

"It's a nice design…but red?" I shrug.

"I'd like to wear a different colour, a dark maroon maybe?"

"That'd work!" Pepper said.

"But don't change the design."

"It will work perfectly, the all-in one suit works well. Shoulder's cut out though?" I shrug again

"Just make sure I can have my gun, knives, bow and quiver on there. No tech though." He nods and continues buzzing about the fact he gets to make my costume.

* * *

**HELLO **

**hope you are all enjoying this so far! i'm loving the amount of views but would really love some more reviews, i am needing feedback as in my previous one it helped me develop my skills (: **

**lotsa love  
Chaos(: xxx**


	21. Blooming Confidence

"Thanos, sir." Loki asks, his tone weaker than usual. He kneels on one leg then looks up to see the man who had been commanding him for a lot longer than he planned. Thanos sits on a large chair, facing monitors, much like Fury in his office in Manhattan. Each monitor focusing on each corner of New York, trying to find the base of the Avengers.

"Loki, what is it now?" He turns on his chair, his red skin reflecting the heat of his anger.

"Sir, I know you hate to be disturbed-"

"Yes, what do you want?!" His anger reached his voice and it echoed throughout the hall of the underground base they had claimed.

"The boy, he is awake again, sir." Loki said nervously, Loki was terrified of the man who stood tall in front of him.

"Very well, would you deal with him this time?"

"Yes, of course sir." Loki rises from his vulnerable stance and heads to the captive they have chained in one of the many convenient rooms the basement area has. The demi-god walks into the room, watching the young boy, known as Python, struggle in his chains.

"Oh yay, I wanted visitors." Python says, keeping his emotions hidden.

"Silence, human." Loki spits at the boy and picks him up by the throat. Loki hits Python hard in the stomach and cuts his cheek with a small blade, watching him struggle and fight the screams, then he let him fall to the floor in a heap. His blue eyes were beginning to lose its colour, his face freshly cut and lip bleeding, Python had been putting up with this for a while now.

"What…do you want?" Python spoke through breathes he struggled to take.

"Nothing, from you." Loki said, wiping his small blade clean of blood.

"She will kill you." Python began to sit up more now, gaining his confidence. "My Kestrel, she is looking for me."

"That's the plan."

"And when she comes, then what?"

"She'll be inserted with the serum, under my control, another Avenger is too much of a risk."

"But you…created her, adding Banner's DNA."

"That much radiation should have killed her."

"Yet…you now want her under your control? How do you plan…that? She's an Avenger…a closely watched one too. You won't be able to get near her." Then the plan happened in Loki's head, he looked at the boy and smirked then left the room. Loki walked to Thanos' room, a smirk plastered on his face.

"Sir, I apologise, but I have a way to get the girl under our control, silently and efficiently. And we can get to the Avenger's base."

"How?" Thanos stands, demanding.

"We need to set up somewhere they can find the boy."

"Why?" Loki explained his plan, fully and for the first time, he seemed pleased, Thanos approved of the plan, they were going to get the girl. Easily.

* * *

I arrive back at the mansion at 6pm, eating out took a little longer than planned due to my love of seeing things in New York and Stark's amazing ability to be able to do anything he wanted.

"My feet…how they ache." Pepper says dramatically as we enter the living room, to see Steve and Thor carefully studying the television they can't turn on and the remote in Steve's hand, at least they figured that out, I thought to myself. I drop my shopping bags heavily on the floor and land on the sofa next to Thor and snatch the remote out of Steve's hands, his eyes looking shocked. I turn it on and hand it back to him.

"How did you manage to do that, Miss Kestrel?! The magic black box works!" Thor looks at me as if I've just produced flowers from my hands, like magic.

"This thing has too many buttons…" The Captain says, still baffled by it. I laugh at the both of them, Steve looks to see the bags. "Did you get that much shopping then?"

"Yep. Some of it isn't mine though, Pepper couldn't resist."

"I saw Banner come back with a few too."

"Oh, he is here then?" He nods, confused at me.

"Do you need a hand taking the bags up to your room?" Tony asks me, with a coke in his hands.

"That's my room now?" I ask amused.

"Well, yes." Stark says, gulping his coke down in one swig and then takes some of my bags and leads me back up to the 2nd floor, using the lift not the stairs. I look over to Tony who is smirking like crazy.

"What are you smirking for?" I say confused

"You'll see." My eyes widen, Stark does make it obvious when he has one over you. I arrive outside my room and open the door, nothing changed, same normal bed, navy walls and I dump my bags on the bed. I shrug at a still smirking Stark.

"Okay, tell me, have I like got something on my face?"

"Just go to the 3rd floor, okay?" I raise my eyebrows.

"Can I at least sling some of my new clothes on, seeing as these aren't mine?"

"Yes but quickly, before I tell you." With that I close my door and put on a purple v-neck t shirt, some denim ¾ length jeans and my newly bought black pumps. I open the door to see Stark still beaming at me and he points me to the lift. He comes with me and when the lift doors slid open I see Bruce standing there, he jumps at the sight of me and Stark.

"I was just about to come get you, Kestrel." Bruce says happily

"Well…I'm popular today." I say sarcastically. "What am I needed here for?"

"Just follow me." Bruce said like an exciting child, I laugh at his expression and look back to Stark who is smiling still. I follow Bruce half way down the corridor of the 3rd floor, he stops outside a door and I look at him confused. "Can you like close your eyes?"

"Seriously?" I say, mid laugh. He nods, I shrug and close my eyes. I hear the door open and feel his shoulders guide me through the room, I hear my shoes on the laminate flooring and Bruce stops me where I am.

"Open them." I open my eyes, blinking a few times I adjust from the blurry vision I gained, I gasp at what I see. A white painted room with a black grand piano in the middle of it. I walk over to it and look at the white keys, my fingers gliding across them all as I walk. I look up at Bruce, my excitement is overwhelming.

"Is this..." I begin to question

"Yours, yes." Bruce said, smiling the same way Stark was.

"Its…oh Bruce I can't."

"Why?"

"These things cost hundreds...possibly thousands of dollars and I can't just accept this from you."

"You can, I want you to have it."

"Why?"

"Why can't you do more of the thing you like, you need a bit of happiness. This is your room that you can just come to can play, there is a gym just across the hall too, only Hawkeye and Widow use it and that's at night, if they stay." I just smile, my very own piano. I just stole Python's…

"How's the Python thing going-"

"Look, try and forget about that for a bit. You deserve some time to yourself."

"I was out all day shopping, I had my day off."

"Just accept this please?" I scrunch my face and nod.

"Thank you, Bruce." I run over to him and wrap my arms around him, crushing him in a hug, he slowly puts his arms around my waist and pulls me close. I break the embrace and walk to sit down on the stool in the middle of the keys. "You don't mind if I…play?" Tony and Bruce both shake their heads. I smile and begin with hitting simple chords, a few notes and then let my mind wander into a piece that Python and I wrote, the major tonality of the song bringing back memories, I'd only just learnt to play the melody and the backing harmony, Python always played the backing. I close my eyes, enjoying the music and feeling it as if he was next to me, guiding my hands and fingers across each note I play, feeling more at ease and comfortable with each note I use, each melody I hear. The familiar song makes me feel at home and I relax for the first time in a while. I look over to Bruce and Tony who are smiling warmly at me, studying my sudden change in body language. I stop and look at the two, with a shy smile.

"That was beautiful." Bruce said, he looks over to Stark and Tony leaves the room. "Where did you write that?" Bruce walks slowly to sit next to me.

"Python and I did, back at the SHIELD base. It makes me feel happy and relaxed."

"I can tell, you become someone different when you play."

"Why though?"

"Why buy you this?" I nod "You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age, alone yet strong and confident. Dedicated to one purpose and one thing." He pauses "You don't have to go back with Fury, you could always stay. We can stop him-"

"I made a deal. I made a deal with the Avengers, you're acting like I'm staying. But you know I can't. I'm dangerous and property of SHIELD."

"You're not property, you're a person."

"A person without a name, a nameless piece of evidence on SHIELD's bad list."

"I heard that you've told Tony a lot today, I didn't know you felt comfortable to talk about…Python."

"Maybe I'm just growing in confidence."

"Blooming like an Amaryllis, that's what you're doing." I giggle at this phrase.

"Cheesey…but yes, maybe I am."

* * *

**hope you are all still with me, love feedback right now :P**

the song Kestrel plays in this scene is taken from a game i played called 'For River' from the game To The Moon. It just fit the whole scene and the song sounds perfect for Python and Kestrel :)  
  
**Updates will be a bit slower due to my A2s kicking off now!**  
**hope you still love it as much as i love writing it!**

**Chaos xxxx**x


	22. Back to Base

"Avengers, meet Agent Greene." Director Fury said, pointing to the brown haired agent in the corner of the room. I smile at the friendly and welcoming face of the last agent I spoke to before I ran out of SHIELD, I'd hope I'd never have to return to this little room in Manhattan. I'd not been in here since my chat with Fury and Dan, the memories stunk my mind a little, I don't think I could look at Dan ever again. I stood closely next to Bruce, Stark standing not too far from us. I found myself clinging to the friendly doctor more and more, a few days had passed since he bought me the piano and he'd often come listen to me play for a while. It was comforting to have someone to talk to and listen to my music.

"It is an honour to meet you all, officially. My son…is a big fan." Agent Greene extended her hand to Rodgers who was nearest to her and she smiled widely at the star spangled man, star struck to be meeting them all. I stood closely next to Bruce, he sensed the tension I felt in this room and edged closer too me, his affection and caring was so…wanted by me.

"Greene has agreed to step in as an undercover in the science department, with Professor Stone watching closely. If she looks left, he'll look right." Fury said looking from each Avenger to the next.

"Is that safe, sir?" I said carefully, challenging his words "Professor Stone is a scientist, not a spy."

"Well since his project ran off, we've found other uses for him." Fury's hazel eyes shot into me like a bullet and I shyed back, slightly behind Bruce. "You will be on sight all day, keeping a watch for anything or anyone you don't like, feel is acting suspiciously or find odd."

"I think Steve is acting odd, does that count?" Stark says, I laugh at his comment and everyone else just looks at him in disapproval.

"Just report it in." Fury spat at Tony and then silently we all march out of the room. The group spread out and organised which areas we will be covering each, but I become easily distracted as I notice the familiar face smiling at me. I walk out of the group meeting and walk over the agent.

"Kestrel, my goodness. It's only been a week or so and in that time you've become an Avenger and set up a rescue mission to save my son. Have you left SHIELD for good?" Greene said quickly

"Your son is worth it." I smile at her and she returns the smile. "I will be returning after Loki is found, I made a promise."

"Why?" Greene becomes concerned, like Bruce had.

"I made a deal, with Fury-"

"That's dangerous." She said harshly "He will twist it to get what he wanted, Fury always gets what he wants."

"Greene, please, I'm desperate for the information on my past, the real stuff." I assure her, like I had with Bruce. All this concern and caring I could get used to. "I really appreciate your concern, but I believe we have a demi-god to find." I walk off to speak to Captain America and notice Bruce edge towards Greene, I ignore it. "What do you need me to do, Captain?"

"Cover the perimeter between the science division A, I believe you know it well." Rodgers directed to the stairs, like I forgot where to go.

"I know it well, too well." I say with a hint of sadness not well hidden in my voice.

"We can put you somewhere else-"

"No, I know it better than anyone. It's a good place to put me." I smile, reassuring him.

"We'll check up every hour, unless anything needs to be said." I nod and turn to see Bruce and Greene looking at me, I walk over and smile.

"Why you giving me the glare, you two?" I say as a joke.

"No reason, just…Bruce tells me he bought you a piano." I nod and smile. "Is there nothing you can't do?"

"Plenty, actually." The two look at me, eyebrows raised. "We need to get to our posts, I'm at science division A. Reunion here we go." I go to walk off and hear a voice call after me.

"Hey, Kestrel, going my way?" I look around to see Hawkeye catch up with me.

"Science division A?"

"Yep, it's a large floor I've heard, need two people."

"Nice try, good lie." I say, walking with him to the stairs.

"What-"

"You're going keep an eye on me, I know." He looks at me shocked "It's alright, I don't like being alone. I've been alone for a little too long now." I smile up at him and we make the short journey up the stairs.

...

When we arrive on the science floor, the countless trips I made begin to show. I show Hawkeye each corner of the labs, each coffee stain in conference rooms and each accessible file in the computer rooms. We walk through the halls and I direct him in the points we are likely to see the scientists.

"I'm impressed, maybe the tests came in handy." Clint says politely

"To them, yes but they were pointless to me."

"Why?"

"They got the answers they wanted, I never got the ones I were after."

"You only started questioning a few weeks before all this-"

"But I should have never been left to question, they should have told me everything from the beginning. Spies or not, I had a right to know who I was."

"Kestrel, you'll get your answers soon."

"At the cost of my new found freedom." I stop and realise what I've said. "Sorry, you don't want to know this."

"No, please. Being a team means trusting each other."

"But what if I say something…bad?"

"Then it happens. You don't know the power your possess."

"What you mean?"

"Your story, what you are, what they did to you, SHIELD…you've got the words and story to change everything."

"But I don't want to. I just want a normal…life. Sorry-"

"You really are becoming more vocal. Bruce was right, your confidence is beginning to grow."

"Whatever you say." I shrug the conversation off, unaware of this confidence that I 'lacked' when they all first met me. I was always loud mouthed, at least I thought I was. "What's Widow's problem with me?"

"I wonder when you were gunna ask me that actually. She is pissed with SHIELD, taking it out on you." I shrug and look at the floor, avoiding his eyes. "Was it you we could hear at 1am last night?" I look up again, eyebrows raised. "Playing the piano."

"Yeah, that's me."

"It's beautiful." My eyes look at the specialist covert agent in surprise. "You play with passion, that much is certain. Natasha enjoyed it too, I didn't tell her I thought it was you."

"Did she think it was JARVIS or something?!" Clint laughs at this comment, another rare occasion. "Thank you, music is something I can do without injuring or killing someone." I smile and look up at the agent, he becomes serious once again.

"How do you wanna play this?" Hawkeye said, becoming serious in voice as well.

"It'd be better to take one half each, or you go in the labs and I cover the outside perimeter?" My voice mirrored the seriousness too.  
"I'll monitor the labs, they will expect you there and I believe a reunion wouldn't be good for you." I smirk at Clint and nod, covering the outside on my own.

...

"Kestrel, report." I heard my ear buzz to life and I jumped at the sound. I had been wandering around the floor aimlessly, there was nothing here, I would notice something odd in a few seconds.

"Nothing yet, Captain. The person who is here isn't showing up outside the labs. Hawkeye, status?"

"I've noticed some scientists in the left corner of the lab, keep whispering and looking around." Clint responded

"Oh how dare they talk." I heard Starks sarcastic voice come into my ear. "I'm bored, waiting has never been my style."

"We've gotta find Loki though, that's top priority. Waiting will have to happen." I say, as frustrated as his voice. I lean against a wall, facing the door out of the right exit of the lab and sigh heavily. "Greene, any luck on Science Division B?" I click my ear piece and connect to Greene's earpiece.

"That's a negative. All normal here, Professor Stone hasn't seen anything either." Greene whispered

"He's not up here in division A then?"

"No, he was moved, undercover stuff could get risky here if I didn't have anyone of higher authority with me."

"Good point." I click the button on my earpiece and re-connect to the one person's voice I actually want to hear. "Bruce, how's things?"

"Dull and normal. Everyone is so serious." He said amused slightly "You lived your life like this?"

"Few years, yep."

"Glad we were able to give you another option, trust me. How are things?"

"Hawk said something about a group of scientists, looking suspicious in the lab, might go check it out."

"Be careful, okay? If they are working for Loki, alert us. Don't just run after them." I turn the connection off and head into the lab, I notice the group of three scientists conversing in the far corner, near a computer. They notice me straight away, even though I am dress in complete black, like every other agent here. Black jeans, black vest top and black jacket, even if SHIELD agents were off timetable or duty, they were ordered to wear black around these headquarters, a rule I often broke. I shift uncomfortably towards the familiar face of Clint, who is acting like he is talking to a scientist. I edge into their conversation and Clint turns to me slightly.

"See the three in the corner then?" Clint says hushed, luckily the noise of the lab is covering us well.

"Yes, I don't like them either." I look the three scientists. One has brown hair, the other blonde and one has raven black hair, they turn slightly to face me and I see that they all have blue eyes. The black haired one is at least 6ft, and the others are just under 5ft8, showing the black haired ones hair perfectly. "I think they are going to make a move out of here soon, I'll keep near the left exit, just in case." Hawkeye nodded and I edged towards the exit. I study the black haired one, he looks more and more familiar as I study him. And I don't like that. The group slowly move from each corner to the next, not knowing or caring that they are being watched, sneakily I saw the brown haired one move for the door and I mirrored his action. He headed for the staircase, I drew out my bow quietly and headed out, tiptoeing the exact movements he made before me. He walked down the stairs confidently, not suspecting my movements behind him. As we reach the entrance to the SHIELD headquarters I hear a buzz in my ear, I hide behind a wall and see the brown haired scientist talk to the woman at reception, I have time to answer the call in my ear.

"Kestrel, where are you?" Hawkeye says in my ear "You snuck past me again."

"I've got a lead, I'm taking it."

"Wait what?"

"Brown haired scientist, left the room, I'm pursuing. Alone."


	23. Hunting Down Suspicions

"Wait!-" I click the earpiece off, not wanting to hear his words. The brown man walks out of the SHIELD building onto the street and I dart past, catching up to him, my bow still in my hands, ready to strike. I walk for a while, keeping close to the man, he turns often and I knew it was not going to be long until I was noticed, a risk I could not take. I run quietly into an alley and find a fire escape ladder, leading up to the roof. I shrug.

"Well Hawk does it…" I say to myself, keeping my confidence in the idea I just had. I climb up quickly and focus my eyes onto the brown haired man once again, I was surprised I didn't need my scope on my arrow, but I found him again, he picked up the pace a little more and was in a fast walk. I smirk, mistake number one creepy ass scientist. I leap and climb from roof to roof, landing as silently and without suspicion as possible, the city that never sleeps could not notice the black agent with a bow in her hand. The scientist then led me into the outskirts of the town, down several dark alleyways and twisting turns. I land quietly on the floor and notice him slow down when he reaches an abandoned building, falling apart on the south side of the structure. He enters the ruined building and I hide behind a set of bins.

"Avengers? Can you hear me?" I press my finger to my earpiece and it flickers to life."Avengers?"

"Where the fucking hell are you Kestrel?" Bruce was the first to respond

"Kestrel, where are you?" I heard Stark say almost proud "If you're far away that means these aren't just short distance communicators!"

"Well done Stark, they work. Bruce I'm fine…why do you always worry about me-"

"Kestrel! Where are you?" I hear the Captain's voice through my question

"I followed a creepy brown haired scientist to a half destroyed…ish, building on the city limits. I'm going in, something isn't right at all."

"Wait!-" I turned the communicator off again. I took a deep breath in and focused on the issue in hand. Finding Python and Loki, I could have just followed a weirdo to his house though. I walk in a crouch position to the two storey building with half of the building actually missing, The blacked out windows make it impossible to see but I soon hear voices talking.

"…just shut up, ok? Master will be here to move you soon. " The brown haired man's voice was cruel and deep.

"I don't understand, why?" the other voice replied, the familiar voice.

"The Avengers have begun catching on to Master's plans and previous endeavours. Loki is not pleased." I stop where I am, I need to get in there. I open the door fiercely, holding up my bow at the man. The brown haired man puts his hands up and I aim for his heart, still. I look across to see a black haired boy, his red highlights faded and matching the cuts and injuries on his face. He looks at me, tears in his eyes.

"Python." I breathe his name, he looks at me, his blue eyes shimmering under his tears, of happiness I hope. I focus on the brown haired man and tighten my hold on the bow and walk into the half destroyed building. "Release him, now." The brown haired man just stands there and looks at me blankly "I said, release him. Now." As I am about to release the bow into his chest, the man begins to shake uncontrollably. I watch in a mixture of horror and fascination as the man's pale skin begins to melt off his body. The man falls to the floor as I watch him turn into a grey, large creature. The creature looks at me with his eyes and screams loudly, the high pitched scream piercing my ears. I stand there oblivious as more of the same creatures land on the ground, causing the ground to shake under each new arrival. I count a total of twelve creatures around me, I smirk, Loki has underestimated me.

I click my quiver into an explosive arrow and launch it at the first one in front of me, it knocks out the 3 surrounding him and the others begin to charge at me, I jump into the air, un-holster my gun and shoot 4 in the head whilst I spinned in the air. I land on the shoulders of another, and shoot him directly in the head, causing him to land forward and causing me to fly off the dead body. I land on my knees and see the creatures surround me, I take my bow and shoot a running creature in the chest, jumping over the body, I kick two directly in the face, pushing my heels into one of their eyes and hitting the other in the bridge of the nose. I watch as the three unconscious creatures awake and that one behind me was charging towards me, I run up the side of the wall behind the creature running towards me and as he turns around confused I wrap my thighs around his neck, twist my whole body and his neck breaks. I land on one knee, reach for my gun and shoot the final three creatures, they land in sync on the floor, each with a bullet through their skulls. I sigh and smile and my handiwork.

"Nice try, Loki." I say to myself.

"Kes…trel?" I hear Python's weak voice and run to his side. I look at the ropes and wire used to tie him against a weak wooden chair.

"You…came for me."

"Of course I did, you silly reptile." I looked at his bloodied face. "What did he do to you?" He looks at the ground and then at me, his eyes full of tears. I kiss his cut lip and stroke his hair. "It's okay, just let me get you out of this." I use my knife again and cut the ropes around his arms and hands first then reach his leg. I notice the leg was out of line that usual, I lift up the trouser leg and I hear Python wince in pain. I see part of his bone is sticking out of his leg, I feel sick. No angry. Pure hatred for Loki. I cut out his feet and legs and look at him. "You can't walk on that." He shakes his head weakly. I click my communicator into action again. "Avengers?"

"Thank god, we thought you were dead!" Stark said first

"You should never do that again, where are you?" I heard the Captain say second

"You're alright, that's okay." Hawkeye said through a sigh.

"I am fine, I'm at that house. It was crawling with Chitauri and…Python is here." I say happily.

"Is Loki there?" Steve said straight away.

"No, Python was sent here to be moved. Loki is due to come here, but I doubt he is now."

"Why?" Hawkeye said this time

"I kinda had to kill twelve of them to not die…" I said and chuckled. "Loki would know I was here now."

"Way to go." I heard the un-wanted sarcastic voice of Natasha in my ear.

"At least we know Loki has undercover Chituari working there."

"What?" I heard Captain America's voice now.

"They are shapeshifters, Avengers." Thor's voice joined in now.

"Okay, all this in my ear…can we get back to mansion? Python needs immediate medical attention, Bruce?"

"He had to…go. He got a little too angry." Stark said sadly "Do you need a hand getting Python back?"

"Please." I said quietly.

"Alright, on my way. Thor, come with me? You can fly Kestrel back." Stark said through my ear. I clicked it off and focused on Python.

"I'm so thankful you're alive…" I said, grabbing his hand and placing it in mine. I look into his dimming blue eyes.

"Same…why aren't you in SHIELD-"

"Shush, don't ask things now, let's get back, get you better and then I'll tell you everything." He lifted his arms up and attempted to stand up, instead I caught him in my arms and cradled him close. We sit there for a while, waiting for the help we need. I kiss him on the forehead repeatedly.

"Someone'd….think you've missed me…Stop it." He smiled and I cuddled him closer. I look at his bruised face and kiss his forehead. I wait until Thor and Stark blast through the building to let him out of my embrace, I grab onto Thor and we soar to the Avenger's mansion.


	24. Below My Feet

"How is he doing?" I ask concerned as Bruce walks out of the medical room in the mansion, there is nothing they are not ready for in this place. Python had gone into unconsciousness after Iron Man had picked him up, clumsily flying with the loss of one arm, I turned to expect him fighting the sleep his body wanted to go in seeing as one of his idols was carrying him to safety, instead he lay limp in Tony's arms.

"He's okay, he'll get through it. Just a lot of blood loss, that's all." Bruce looks at me with warm hazel eyes but I cannot smile at him. "How long have you been pacing up and down here?"

"Since you put him in here. Stark told me not to go in, so I've done the next best thing." I said honestly to him. Bruce sighed at me and threw his arms around me. Stunned by the sudden show of affection towards me, I fear for the worst and break out of the embrace quick. "He's going to die isn't he?" I say taking a few steps back from him.

"No! No, not at all. Just…he's acting strangely."

"What you mean?"

"His heart rate, quicker than someone who is in an unconscious state would have. I'm sure it's nothing." I look at the Doctor closely, my exhaustion getting to me, fighting alone is something I was never really used to. Especially against aliens, twelve aliens. I nod at him.

"You look exhausted, Kestrel."

"I am quite tired, I've never taken on that many aliens at once. And alone, I had Python last time." I smile towards the direction of the door, I want to go in, but I know I'll just be upset. "Did you have to re-break his leg into place?"

"Yes, but he was unconscious, it made it easier for me to do." I nod and look at Bruce, I smile at him and yawn. "You need to sleep-"

"Thank you, Bruce." I interrupt him, I can't sleep, not until he's beside me.

"Why?" He said, his eyebrows raised in confusion.

"You've been…overly kind to me and I still don't understand why. You've really been caring for me, like no one ever has. Well, if they have I can't remember." I say and give a sarcastic laugh at the end of that sentence.

"I think you should talk to Fury." Bruce said honestly, walking towards me.

"Why?"

"You bring up the fact you can't remember anything…a lot. Maybe you should find out all these things?"

"What if I don't like what I find out?" I say and lean against one of the white walls of the hall which leads to several medical rooms.

"Then you move on, a new life."

"How do I do that?"

"On your own you can-"

"I don't want to be on my own anymore, Bruce. I want a family to belong to. Or someone I can consider a family member. I just don't want to be on my own anymore…it gets boring after a while." I say joking with him.

"I know how that feels, I always wanted a father I could consider to be my father. He hated me, my dad."

"No father can hate their child."

"But he hated me and that hate caused my mother's death. When I lived with my uncle, I had love but it wasn't the love I needed as a young child. It's affected me now."

"I can't tell." I say and smile at him. He looks at me. "I see a Doctor who is dedicated to his work and friends. Even caring for a stranger from SHIELD right now…and me. You're the only one who I feel I can trust and relate to, Bruce. So no, I don't see this affected adult from a childhood. Ya know…you'd make a great dad one day. I'd be jealous of the kid who gets all your love and caring." I say the last few sentences through a laugh and I stand up straight. Bruce looks at me with puzzled brown eyes, I smile and walk over to him and kiss him gently on the cheek. "I better try and get some sleep, my doctor says I should." I then walk off to the elevator and reach my room. I slip into some of my more immature choice of pyjamas, with Hello Kitty faces printed all over the pink bottoms and the iconic cat face plastered on my top. I slip into bed and close my eyes, thinking about only Python.

* * *

Bruce walks into the living room gone 8pm and slumps heavily into the couch seat next to Hawkeye. Bruce's thoughts still lingering on the conversation him and Kestrel had just had half an hour ago.

"I heard the conversation you two were having, Bruce." It was if the Hawk could read his mind, acting confused, he turns and raises his eyebrows at Clint. Clint sighed. "The computer room is opposite the room you put the Python kid in, I was doing a typed de-brief to Hill, easier than wandering over to headquarters."

"Ah, well…I don't know what to say-"

"But I can tell by your body language, she's got you stumped."

"Can all agents read body language?"

"It's helpful, Banner, especially now." Bruce shrugs at the agent. "It takes a lot for an agent to spill their guts to a person they've known not long. It's almost been 3 weeks since you met and she's telling you all this? It's interesting to hear her words."

"What do you think?"

"Everyone deserves family…-" Clint begins saying

"What is that about family, good Hawkeye?" Thor storms into the living room, hammer firmly in his hand and his cape removed only to reveal red shoulder pads.

"Nothing, Thor. We were having a private discussion." Bruce said to Thor, giving him a glare that said get-out-of-here.

"Good Doctor Banner, I meant no harm, I heard a mention of family and walked into the room. On Asgard, family is very important-"

"Thor!" Hawkeye said loudly and motioned his head to get out of the room. Thor backed away, scared by the glares he was receiving. "As I was saying, Bruce. Everyone deserves family, even Loki has it. Kestrel is just a girl, you care a lot for her, already and….she" Hawkeye stops and closes his eyes before saying the next words "…I know about her real family, Banner."

"What? How?!" Bruce said desperately.

"I asked Fury, in interest of the mission in hand, of course. She's only 18 and according to the files…has seen enough."

"Tell me!" Bruce shouted louder now.

"Okay, okay. But just because Kestrel's going to need some support from a welcomed face when she reads that envelope…" Bruce's facial expressions moved in time with the changes and parts of the story, overall he finished in a sombre expression. "You can't tell her, let her find out on her own, which will be soon."

"When is Fury giving her the information?"

"He's running out of patience, tomorrow I believe." Bruce's ears were burning with the story he just heard. She needed to know, but she wouldn't want to.


	25. True Identity

I sat in Bruce's garden, watching the solar lights change colour, from red to blue, blue to green and green to yellow. It was 3am and he lighted his garden well with assorted solar lights that'd never fail to turn on at night, I'd seen the downstairs was empty and I snuck the key in to clear my head. I knew the roof was most probably occupied by Hawkeye who seemed to be as nocturnal as a bat, not like a Hawk at all. Then again, I wasn't like the bird I was named after too. I stared at the slowly blooming flowers and my gaze was stuck on my new favourite flower, the amaryllis. I hear Bruce's words echo in my head '_Blooming like that amaryllis_…' I smile to myself and wrap myself in my small blanket tighter, the coldness of the city getting to my exposed arms and into my baggy childish trousers, I shiver slightly and my mind wanders again to Python. When he wakes up he'll see his girlfriend is an Avenger, the one thing he wanted to be. He'll react one of two ways, be stroppy or so happy to have an Avenger girlfriend. The amount of questions he'll have…and the ones I have too. What did Loki do to him? Why did he take him? Was he even after me? I then felt someone behind be, I tensed slightly and stayed still. Ever cautious that Loki will be coming for me.

"Fury will want to see you tomorrow." I heard the stern, yet welcoming voice of Clint and I turn to face him.

"I really hope you didn't jump from the roof to get here." I say sarcastically and he manages a smirk.

"No, I walked from the roof to here. Sorry, I stole your spot, but your likeness towards rooftops may have something to do with the DNA of mine in your body, but I doubt it." I look at the Hawk confused.

"What you mean?" I turn fully to face him.

"The only part of my DNA you've taken is the likeness towards using a bow, which is beautiful, and the accuracy. Tasha you've got her combat skills, very handy. Steve's regeneration powers, amazing again and Bruce's gamma radiation…possibly."

"What do you mean, 'possibly'?" I look up at Clint, who is now standing next to me.

"He turns into a giant raging green monster, anger triggers it. Although angers triggers yours, it's controllable. It always will be, unlike Hulk."

"I hate the name you call it, sounds like a monster."

"Hulk is-"

"Nothing out of Bruce can be a monster." I give him a stern look and my hands become fists. I close my eyes. "Sorry."

"You both care for each other after a short amount of time, its touching." Clint smiles and I shrug.

"I'm a SHIELD agent I'm trained not to care." I say dismissing the idea of caring for a man I've never met. Although I know what Clint was saying, when in a room, I clung to Bruce. I felt close to him already. "If I care for him its not a romantic notion, he's like…30."

"I get that, don't explain it to me. How's Python?"

"I don't know, they are keeping me in the dark."

"Maybe that's because nothing is happening?" He reassures me, but my mind thinks otherwise

"I hope so. Really badly hope so." I sigh look at the amaryllis. "I just want to know what Loki wants."

"Don't we all. He seems interested in you."

"That's not good, bet Natasha loves it. Wanting to use me as bait?" It fell silent between us and I just looked at him. "Yeah, she just wants me dead."

"That's not fair-"

"But it's true, Hawk."

"Not going to deny that." He shrugs and we fall quiet for a while, observing the flowers.

"Where is she anyways?" I break the silence, picking a subject he'd really talk about.

"Mission in Australia, alone. I'm needed to keep an eye on things here."

"I'm a SHIELD agent though."

"Not a full one. Not yet, kid." He smiles and ruffles my hair, I laugh at the gesture.

"Maybe I don't want to be one."

"You made a deal with Fury, you're SHIELD property, when you find that information out and when you help us find Loki." Hawkeye sighs. "I know one person who's going to be upset when you leave."

"Who?" I turn to face the amaryllis again

"Bruce." And with that I turn to see he has disappeared, I wish I knew how to do that, just disappear without anyone knowing, especially Fury. God knows what he's planning for me when I am his little lab rat again, I dread the day I find out.

* * *

"Fury's here to see you, Kestrel." I hear a knock on my door and Bruce's head pop through with the news. After sitting in the garden until 5am, I decide to play music though I never write it down, just repeat the songs from memory. I look to Bruce and smile, yet the smile I show is sad. He comes into the room as I decide to play another song, hitting on the minor scale, I create one that reflects the mood I face. Bruce perches on the end of the piano stool and I move up, he edges closer and I don't look into his eyes that stare at me.

"How is Python?" I ask quietly.

"Still out cold, you can see him later if that'd make you feel better?" Bruce says calmly

"Yes, please." I carry on caressing the notes, from a C to an E, from a minor tone to the major. "I don't want to see Fury, not going to lie, Bruce."

"He is persistent on seeing you."

"I guess he wants to get his part of the deal done."

"I'll take you there if you want, 4th floor this time."

"Endless amount of rooms here, isn't there?" He chuckles slightly at my comment

"But it's nice, slowly becoming home."

"That's good for you Bruce." I smile up at him, still playing a melody. He smiles at me.

"You can call this home too, you know."

"I can't, I'm SHIELD property, my home is locked inside a lab, remember?" Bruce sighs, obviously not knowing what to say. "Come on then," I stop playing the piano and stand up. "May as well face him." The walk there is silent, but not alone as Bruce stays with me. As we reach the 4th floor, he leads me to a room which is almost opposite the lift we used to get there, there were stairs but we barely used them. I stand outside the door, a lump in my throat and shaking slightly. "I don't know if I'm ready, to know. Python should be here." Bruce suddenly grabs my hand and I look up at him in a slight shock of the gesture, I never saw Bruce touch anyone. The other day when he hugged me I was shocked, but needed it. I had become a wreck.

"It'll be okay, we're here for you."

"Not all of them like me."

"I'm here for you then." He smiles at me and I nod, shyly.

"Still wish Python was. But thanks, Bruce." I let go of his hand and walk into the room. I see Fury sitting there at a small desk in the middle of the room, a nice view of the city. The room was white and simple, unlike the other rooms. I take the opposite seat, and look at his emotionless brown eye.

"Kestrel." His voice says simply.

"Yes?" I say back, my voice squeaking a little. "Have you got the information?"

"We have everything you want to know."

"Tell me, then."

"I think it is better if you read it yourself, Kestrel." He hands a file to me, a fuller one.

"You expanded on the file then."

"Professor Stone felt it right to add all this in." I nodded and opened the file to see a birth certificate for a girl, born on the 3rd of April 1994, that was called Holly Jones, with her mother's name imprinted on it, Rosalind Jones. The father's name wasn't accounted for. I looked at pictures of Rosalind Jones, a young woman with brown hair, blue eyes and a skinny frame. I look through the file and see nothing on this woman, no location, no occupation.

"So, this Rosalind, is my…mother?"

"Yes, Rosalind Jones."

"Where is she now?"

"Dead." I look at Fury, confused.

"Just tell me, don't protect me or whatever you're doing."

"You and your mother…were living rough for 16 years, raising a child on the streets wasn't easy for her and she lost her sanity. A week before the Chituari invasion, your mother did something drastic and sold you."

"Sold me? To who?"

"A child trafficker, Robin Graham. He whored out children up to the age of 18." He sighs "On the day of the Chituari attacks, many people died, including your mother who was shot point blank in the head by a Chituari warrior. Robin Graham was found dead, crushed under the rubble with a girl, still breathing, trapped half under the rubble. During the clearing up of the invasion, we found you and we saw you fighting the death. We took you into the medical wing and saved your life."

"By injecting me with DNA?"

"Yes, you were a perfect match in body and mind. We injected you and you woke up asking all the wrong questions, you had no idea who you were, where you were. From that day you were Subject 01." I sat silently and looked at the picture of the woman who was my mother, in disgust and hatred.

"I don't have a father then?"

"Not accounted for, no."

"So my mother was a mental child selling woman? What did she do for a living?"

"She became a criminal, stealing to keep herself alive. Using you as bait, she stole anything she could." I sat in silence for a few minutes, wishing I could remember it all, her face, what she did. "Without that DNA, you'd be dead. And without the DNA of what we believe is Banner's…you'd be able to remember all the pain." I stood up and looked at him, I nodded and snatched the file away. "I'm sorry, Kestrel." I began to pick up my pace, tears running from my eyes. I ran to the place I knew I could be alone, ignoring everything around me.


	26. Hatred

I sat on the roof, flicking from photo to photo, statement to statement. My mother was a thief, an evil, selfish, horrible woman who sold me to a child pimp. I hope in that short time that I wasn't forced to sleep with a sleazy old man. I pick up the photo of Rosalind, the woman who gave birth to me. I looked at her and saw no likeness between us, her blue eyes, her brown hair and her…cold heart. I'd never be that cruel, I know I wouldn't.

The family I hoped for was destroyed, I prayed for a normal family, a single part of normality in a life that was confusing and messed up. I looked at the picture and saw her hair messed up, clothes ripped and her hand holding a young child close, her ginger curls covered in grease and her dress ripped and her body thin.

That was me, Holly Jones.

I think of my name, the one she gave me. I repeated it in my head, but it never felt like my name, this name was given to me by the thing that disgusted me, my own mother. It'd never be my name, I'd refuse to accept it. I was so desperate for a name, an identity but I hated the one I knew I had. If it weren't for SHIELD I'd be dead, if it weren't for the Avengers I'd be dead. I don't know if that was the preferred choice right now. I can't imagine what the former me would have been through, but I wish I had. I looked through the pictures of a younger me, or so I was told, living in an abandoned house. SHIELD had eyes on everyone and everything, I thought to myself looking at these photos.

I saw a blurry image of a beat up, cut, greasy, ginger teenager playing a piano and my mother in the next window, what it looked like to be eating, the blurred images gave me an idea of what I had gone through. A selfish mother and a girl, trying to keep everything bad from hitting her, I tried to escape. That is why I play music when I'm sad, that is why I can play now. I then pick up another blurred CCTV freeze of my mother's face alone, her make up fake and plastered on, her expression annoyed and then a close up of my own childhood face, ginger curls, freckles and green crying eyes.

"You were a cute little girl." I heard the soft voice of Bruce say to me.

"A cute, starving, confused, hurting child. Yes." I say in a whisper. He sits next to me, mirroring how my feet are dangling over the side of the building as I sat on the edge of the roof.

"I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"We couldn't save your mother from the Chitauri."

"I'm glad you didn't, she sold me to a pimp. She wouldn't have wanted me back anyway." The tears began to stir in my eyes.

"Hawkeye told me, last night. And Fury told the others, to prepare us for your upset."

"It's fine, you had a right to know who was living with you."

"If it helps, Holly doesn't suit you, as a name." I chuckle a little at his little joke.

"And what would?" I look up at him, my tears now falling from my eyes. My hair blows lightly in the wind and lands in one of my damp tears on my cheek.

"I can think of one, a perfect one for you." Bruce reaches out and removes the hair from my face. "Amaryllis." I laugh a little.

"It's a beautiful flower, but that name isn't me."

"It's a blooming flower in my garden, with fiery orange and red tips on the white petals, it's delicate yet strong against the wind. It'd suit your perfectly."

"The only way I'd be able to obtain a name is if I become someone's child, part of someone's…family."

"Why?"

"A name is an identity, I'd never feel like a person without the family to match. I want to belong somewhere, be someone." I look over the Manhattan sky-line and down at the height of mansion.

"I know what it's like…to feel without idenitity." Bruce sighs "My father was trying to kill me, that's how I know he hated me, but my mother got in the way, she died instead. That day, I become without a family."

"My mother sold me to a pimp, I think that's hatred." I say as I manage a little laugh. "Family…it means something to me, I want someone to care and look after me as if I were their own child. But no one would, I'm a mess."

"I'd want to look after you." Bruce said quietly, I look up at him. His hazel eyes look at me with honesty

"What?"

"I'd be proud to call you my daughter." I stare at him for a while, feeling an overwhelming feeling of warm and comfort around him, I shake it off and face down.

"Unlike this bitch was." I look at the photo that is still in my hands. "I just wish Python was here. Like conscious."

"Do you love him?"

"No. Oh god, no." I say honestly, sounding shocked

"Why are you with him then?" Bruce says bluntly

"I have yet to discover it, love. Maybe it's with him, I don't know. He said he'd never leave me, right? I'm not leaving him. Unless I have to."

"You're a good friend, really."

"We're a bit more than that, but thank you. Could I see him soon?"

"I can take you to see him now?"

"Please, it'll keep my mind off things."

"And onto the problem of getting him awake?"

"It's better than focusing on a family that I'll never have." Bruce's face cocked to the side slightly and I stood up and left the roof and headed to see Python.


	27. Suffocating Under Words

Bruce watched Kestrel talk to the unconscious Python through the once blanked out window, his arms folded and his eyes mellow at the sight of the girl conversing with the boy she vowed to save. She looked over to the window and smiled at Bruce, he smiled back and nodded to her. He walked from the room, using the stairs to reach the kitchen, where he heard the loud voice of Tony Stark, blabbing out some joke or story.

"….and then she opens the door and looks around, almost faints!" Thor let out a laugh that echoed the whole room, Steve smiles slightly at the story and Hawkeye stays emotionless. "Bruce, where you been?" Bruce just looks at Stark and he realises. "How is she?"

"A bit bad, but I've let her see Python, she has a right to see how he is doing."

"Not waking up yet?" Steve says, slightly concerned, Bruce shakes his head with a frown.

"It's been a few days, maybe Loki's done something to him?" Hawkeye says, taking an interest in the conversation

"Take blood samples and run them for anything…odd then Banner." Stark said, pointing at him from behind the kitchen counter, it was his turn to cook and he had decided to cook a curry, which was taking over 3 hours now. "How does she feel about her name then?" All faces turn to Bruce and he flushes red a little, he walks over to the breakfast bar where everyone is sitting on stools, around Stark.

"What name?" Steve asks his eye brow raised.

"Well…she needs a name, so I suggested one."

"Her response was…" Stark said

"Without a family to go with the identity, she sees it pointless."

"Holly is a perfectly nice name-" Hawkeye began to say

"No, it doesn't suit her." Bruce says sharply. The room fell quiet, Hawkeye then turns to face Bruce fully.

"Have you considered fostering or adopting the girl, Banner?"

"What? Like making her my daughter legally?"

"Yeah, becoming her guardian, father."

"I don't think I'd make a good dad, Clint."

"You care for her a lot, Bruce. We can all see it." Stark joined in

"Your affection towards Miss Kestrel is that of what my father does, you'd make a fine father Banner!" Thor stormed in

"You both deserve family, Bruce." Steve said softly. "It could do you both good."

"I don't know-"

"Bruce, just think about it. With you as her guardian, SHIELD can't get to her." Hawkeye said

"How?"

"You're accepting responsibility for her. They should back off." Clint said to him, and began stating the laws of labs and agents, explaining the loop hole. "You should consider it, it'd help her out in two ways and you in one, finding your family."

"I'll leave her for a while, though. She needs time with Python, and then I better see if there is something in his blood."

* * *

I sit with Python, playing with his hair and telling him the story of my past until its late at night, it's comforting and even though his face doesn't show the emotion I hope for, I know he can still hear me.

"So I found my family, but I don't want it. Selfish, right? Maybe my family…is here. I don't know where family is or what it really is, but I will know when I feel it, you agree with me, I know you would. I wish I knew why you wouldn't wake up, I want to see your eyes. See your smile, see you."

I reach for his hand, his palm facing down on the bed, I turn it over to link my fingers in his. I stop. And I look shocked at his wrist. I see the veins in his arm clearly, but they aren't the usual human blue they are green. A dark green. I drop his hand from mine and run to the speaker in the corner.

"JARVIS!"

"Yes, miss? Is there something the matter?"

"I need Bruce, Thor…all of them now! I've found something on Python. Hurry, please!"

"Yes, right away." I then waited 2 minutes that felt like a hours until I heard the footsteps in the corridor, rushing towards the door, it opens and slams against the wall and I point towards the arm I just held in shock. Bruce is the first one to enter, and grabs his arm immediately. Bruce nods to Thor and he inspects and looks at me shocked and walks to my side.

"What is it Thor?" I say panicked

"I don't know, but it looks like my brother's doing." Thor said honestly to me. Bruce then runs to the cabinet, retrieves a syringe and puts it into Python's arm.

"JARVIS, we need some a lab microscope in here now, they come out from the wall, quickly!" Stark yells at the wall. My tears are heated and as I see Hawkeye stand in the doorway, clueless what to do, Thor stands next to me clueless too. I watch Bruce hand the syringe to Stark as the genius Iron Man puts a drop of liquid onto the microscope that came out of the wall, still that wasn't the thing that shocked me. Bruce notices my face and runs towards me, he puts his arms around me and I touch the arms that surround me in a wall closely. Thor backs away as he smiles slightly at Bruce, but ignore the gesture.

"Stark, what is it?" Bruce says

"I don't…know. Banner, see this." Stark turns to see him surrounding me in his embrace and he just nods at him, and instructs Hawkeye to see the sample. "The green liquid is destroying his blood cells and…well everything in his body." Stark said as he steps away from the scope to Python's side, he pressed two fingers to his neck and sighed. "His heart beat is fading fast."

"You've got to do something, please." I said, desperately. My tears sudden and flushing my face hard. I was in shock from my discovery and the fact I suddenly was crying. "Please, please."

"I will see what I can do-"

"This is Asgardian poison." Thor says quickly, barely leaning over the microscope. "The green poison is something made from Loki's own making, I saw a guard with it in his body. It kills." I fall to the ground and Bruce falls with me, supporting my weak legs as I kneel on the floor, my tears blurring my vision. Bruce hugged me into his chest, stroking my hair, my tears dampening his light blue shirt. His arms cuddled me in closer the more I sobbed.

"How long have we got?" Stark said quietly to Thor.

"Judging from the rate it is reaching his brain, a few days, more possibly two." Thor said quietly, not wanting me to hear.

"Why Python though? What does he have that he needs?" Hawkeye says frustrated.

"We will focus on that when we've saved his life, Hawk." Stark says sharply.

"Do you want to say with him? Stay here?" I hear Bruce's voice whisper in my ear over the muffled talking. I nod in his arms, speechless. "Shall I leave you with him?" I nod again and he stands me up, my knees still weak. "She's going to stay with him for the night, we have a lot of work to do, gentlemen." Bruce said, leading me to a chair next to Python's body. I stared at his face, his plain face and began to cry again. The others filed out of the room, Bruce stood in the doorway as I looked up, his hazel eyes showed compassion and sympathy. "I'll do all I can, Kestrel. I promise." I try to smile at him, but I lose all hope in that second and repeat the question Clint said. Why Python? What does he have that Loki needs?


	28. Decision

I am still sitting with Python when it reaches 1am and I finally run out of tears to cry, I just look at him and hold his hand, which is yet to become infected with the poison in his body. Slowly, I know it will. I hold his hand to my cheek, wanting to feel his warm touch, instead I feel cold and ice in his limp hand. I begin to silently plead, in my head.

"Pleading won't help him." I hear a deep voice in the room with me, his cold tone sounding too familiar. I stand and turn quickly, towards the direction of the voice and notice nothing there. I hear a demonic laughter echo the room. I tell myself I'm hearing voices, exhaustion does that. The voice laughs again, too real for my liking. "Exhaustion, really?"

"Loki?" I say quietly, scared and knees still weak from the shock.

"Oh, how did you guess?" I don't respond to his cruel question.

"Show yourself, now." I say turning frantically

"Everything is my terms now, Kestrel. Got it?" His cold voice sent shivers down my spine. "You want to save your friend?"

"What have you done to him?" I say desperately.

"Poisoned him, obviously you simple child. And only I can save him. But in order for me to do that, I need to sort a deal with you. His life for yours."

"What?"

"If I save his life, you have to join me. You'd be a great help to our cause."

"You-" I thought the words as I couldn't bring myself to say them.

"Want you as a minion? Oh, no. I have a more important role for you, we both do."

"We? Who is we?"

"That is not important now. Do we have a deal?" I swallow hard and look at Python, the innocent in this.

"Why me?"

"You are an Avenger, you have powers beyond your control, with the right guidance we can help you control them for our cause." I stare at Python, I feel a cold hand on my shoulder and a cold breath on my cheek. "His life for yours. It's simple." I close my eyes.

"I…I."

"You have 10 minutes, Kestrel or he dies. Walk out of this mansion, head two lefts and walk into that alleyway, we will show you the way from there, if not. He dies."

And with that the cold air disappears and I breathe out heavily. I look at Python, the little SHIELD agent that got caught up in this chaos, in my mess. I open the draw nearest to his bedside and pull out a notepad. I write him a note I fold it 5 times, and put it into his hand. I kiss him gently on the forehead and sneak around the floors of the mansion, not wanting to cause an alert. I had to do this, I kept telling myself. I have to do this. I walked silently down the stairs, keeping to the shadows, when I finally reached the front door, I had 3 minutes remaining. I ran from the mansion down the streets and into the alleyway. I ran so far I became out of breath and I began to walk deeper into the darkness of the alley, I stopped and felt something land behind me. I turned and saw a Chitauri, followed by another landing next to it. I swallow hard and see the size difference for real, at last, at least 7ft aliens again the 5ft 7 little me.  
"Stand down, she is here." I hear the voice of Loki and see him for the first time since the day he took Python, his gold armour layered on his black and green robes, his black haired slicked back and his eyes glowing blue. He clicked his fingers, I expected that to be the order to end my life, instead nothing happened. "Your precious friend is saved. But come along, we have much to discuss." I shuffle towards him, shyly and scared, he sighs, pulls me forward and grabs my shoulder. I watch the scene around me dissolve into a grey walled room with computer screens on the far left, shadowed by a large chair. The room is full of monitors, a bit too…flashy for a demi-god, I think to myself. I turn to the large chair and see it spin around and reveal a large…thing, I can't call it a human due to the red skin on his body. It is dressed in gold and silver armour, looking as out of place as Loki did, even more so. I face it dead on and look at it, wondering what on earth it is.  
"Nice of you to finally join us, Kestrel." The deep voice that came out of this peculiar creature spoke to me, it was defiantly a male, the voice confirmed this. His voice sent shivers of fear down my back and he gestured for me to step nearer to him, I stood still, frozen by the gesture. A few seconds passed and I felt the end of Loki's sharp sceptre poke into my back and push my forward, hard, probably cutting the skin. I came closer to the red skinned man and looked at him, his blue eyes glowing neon in the darkness. His eyes looked up and down at me, I breathed hard and nervously. "I know you've met Loki. I am Thanos, born from the Moon of Saturn, a titan, and this Earth will become mine. I understand you are joining our cause."

"You gave me no choice." I mumbled quietly to myself, looking away from him. I feel a sharp hit across my face, knocking me to the ground. I look up to see Thanos has just hit me, with his spiked knuckles, I put my hand to my stinging face and notice blood on my hands.

"You will never answer back to me, little girl." He says patronising me in the deepest most sinister voice I've heard. I look up at him in terror, horror and confusion.

"Why do you want me?" I say openly.

"You possess power we could use and we cannot risk the Avengers gaining another member." Thanos looked down at me

"What power-"

"That zero gravity energy you possess, I need it. The knowledge you know about SHIELD, I need it. The Avengers knowledge you possess, the code into their hideout, you will give to me."

"Over my dead body." I spit in his face and immediately regretted the action as I fell into a harsh dark black world.


	29. A Plan

"His heart rate has picked up, look." Stark exclaimed as he went into the medical room Python lay in in the early hours of the next morning. He looked at the monitors they had hooked the dying boy up to the previous day, a rush of 3 people came into the small room and looked at the boy, except for Bruce. The boy's skin was almost completely clear of green lines and Tony knew this didn't add up. The boy was about to die.

"Where is Kestrel?" Bruce said, noticing her disappearance from the room. Stark shrugged as he inspected Python and took blood from his wrist and shuffled over to the equipment that folded out of the wall, conveniently. "Did you see her leave the room?" Bruce directed the question to Hawkeye who was outside the door the whole night, to keep an eye on her.

"No, I don't think I did. I would have noticed." Hawkeye said confused by the disappearance, Thor shrugged and looked at Bruce. "I can have a check around if it'd put your mind at rest?" Bruce nodded and put his focus to the boy again. "What can you see, any change?"

"It's gone." Bruce looked up confused at the genius and raised an eyebrow. "Almost overnight, it's just gone, look Banner." He shuffled over quickly as Stark had done before to see the poison was almost completely gone from the young agent's blood.

"Impossible, surely. Thor, can it be cured that easily?"

"No, it usually takes an antidote. Only Loki has the possession to." Thor said, confused, his stance weakened by his uncertainity.

"But how-"

"She's gone, I can't find her." Hawkeye came bursting into the room. "Kestrel, she's…gone." Bruce looked at Hawkeye with fear and confusion, he turned to face the window over New York and ran his fingers through his brown hair.

"So he gets better and she pisses off? What is going on?!" Stark says angrily. "JARVIS, run the surveillance for last night, focus on this room only."

"Yes, sir. Directing footage to screen here."

"What screen-" And before Thor could finish another screen folded out of the wall.

"What is going on down here?" Steve said, flustered and tired.

"Just watch." Stark said, focusing on the newly appeared screen. The screen played out the events of the room for the night, Kestrel was crying for a good few hours and then she stood up and became defensive. She began talking to herself.

_Show yourself now. _The monitor watched the girl confused and spin around.

_We, who is we? _Bruce watches in confusion as Kestrel is talking to an imaginative figure. She stutters, spins and eventually her stance loosens and she walks over to the draw in the room and rips out piece of paper, writes on it and puts it into Python's hand. With seeing that, Bruce almost runs over to Python's hand and finds the note she left him. It is folded small and he inspects it before unfolding it.

_Python,  
When you wake up from this I won't be there. I'm sorry, but I had to do this. I had to save your life, and that meant giving mine up.  
I'm not dead, but Loki offered me a trade, my life for your life.  
Tell the Avengers this and hope the next person who comes for you isn't me.  
I will fight them, but there only so much I can do. I have a few requests;_

__Her writing became more and more messed up towards the end of the letter.

_You need to get the Avengers out of that mansion, there is something or someone coming to rule Earth and they need to be prepared.  
Gather families, people you care about and flee to the Helicarrier, it would be the best place for all of you, please, get out of there the second you read this. _

_The world needs the Avengers alive and if I know Loki he will strike sooner rather than later. Prepare yourself, Python. I'm leaving you to save you._

Tell Bruce I'm sorry and that if I survive this, we'll be a family.

_Kestrel x_

Bruce's tears flooded down his face and he almost ripped the letter in two. His rage filled his body and he fell to the floor, breathing heavily as he let out a yell. He had to control it, he had to. He breathed and calmed the anger radiating in his body. Steve ran to his side and put his hand on his back.

"You're doing well, Bruce. Control it." Steve said, calmly. Bruce looked up at Steve and nodded, out of breath. "What is it-"

"We need to go, now." Bruce said breathing heavily. "Read it, all of you…just read. She's gone." The four Avengers crowded one piece of paper and looked at Bruce with sympathy. He was confused at this gesture, he stood up and looked at Steve with a serious expression.

"She wouldn't lie to us, we need to gather families like she says and phone Fury. The Helicarrier needs to be secured, if we fall, the world falls." Steve looked around to his Avengers "Hawkeye, you need to convince Fury to evactuate the cities, before it's too late-" Suddenly a large explosion blasted through the other side of the mansion, everyone fell to the floor from the force and looked around to each other. The echo they heard was not just coming from the mansion, it was all around them. The attack had started.

"Fuck tell Fury, its happening now. I need to get my armour, I'll meet you there. I need to make sure my brother is safe, I suggest anyone else with family do the same."

"You have a brother?!" Steve exclaimed

"Now isn't the time!" Stark clambered to his feet and ran to the basement where his armour was.

"Hawkeye, contact-"

"Already doing so."

"Stay on the ground, they're less likely to attack here if they can't see movement." Steve said

"What about Python?!" Bruce shouted over the chaos sounding around them.

"Thor can you lift two of us up to the Helicarrier?" Steve asked

"Yes, it seems possible." Thor nodded

"Sir, we need to come to HQ, now….Is the evac launched….I see…Is it…Yes…We'll find a way up…Coordinates may be….Didn't you…No, of course sir. See you soon sir." Hawkeye clicked his earpiece off and turned to the Avengers as the mansion shook again from another explosion aimed at their home. "They are north of Manhattan, we need to get up there. All of us."

"Thor can take two of us, tight squeeze but its got to be done, Iron Man can take one of us. That means either Python doesn't come and one of us stays or one of us stays and the boy goes." Steve says, taking control again

"I've still got that jetpack. Fury gave me one, in case of emergency."

"Thank fuck for that." Bruce said, everyone turned to him in shock. Never once had the doctor sworn.

"Where is this jetpack?" Steve said, ignoring the shock of Bruce.

"Next floor up, I'll run there now, see what I can see and head back here." Hawkeye said, running the plan out loud to the group, he then crouched and ran off.

"Are we supposed to just lie here?!" Bruce shouted. "Why do we need to get up there? Won't we help more down here?"

"We're outnumbered and outmatched," Steve shouted over the sound of another bomb colliding with the gravel below. "we're no help to anyone, captured or dead. We need to form a plan and get down here or wherever they strike next and use it."

"I don't like it."

"Kestrel said it'd work and I trust her. I know you do too." Steve words caused another explosion to hit the side of the mansion and it shuddered under the force of the bomb and rubble began to crumble from the floors above. "They're cutting down the floors, we need to escape without them seeing."

"Flying up there, yeah they won't notice that. Especially with Tony all flash in his red suit of Iron Man armour."

"Don't take the piss out of the armour, Brucey." Stark said as the two looked up to see an armoured Tony Stark towering above them.

"What's our next move Cap?" Just as he spoke another explosion hit the building, this time taking a chunk out of the floor just above them. The building shattered and shuddered and began to crumble under the great force of the enslaught of attacks from the alien invaders.

The building collapsed, leaving a 5 second gap for the group to escape. Bruce was holding onto the arm of the demi-god Thor, scared to look below at the chaos that had began, Iron Man took Steve in his arms and shot up into the sky, leaving a small trail of smoke behind, but soon disappeared within 5 seconds. And Hawkeye lead the group up to the coordinates his Director had given them, whilst holding a limp, lifeless unconscious teenager under her arm. He looked down at the chaos over the teenager's frail body and sighed.  
Bruce began to shiver under the thought of what had really just happened, that young girl, under the control of Loki. The mentalist, the evil god and the murderer who had killed many people just to rule a planet that was unruley. He feared to know or think about what they were doing to Kestrel.


	30. The New World

**HELLO PEOPLE! **

**well its been a while...i know. but i've been a bit down in the dumps with my writing and gave up :L  
but i realised how much i love writing this story (:  
I hope you all enjoy and feedback will be great guys :D**

Manhattan had been taken by force, thousands. Possibly millions had died, the rest were captured. I stand on the roof of the now taken over SHIELD headquarters I had lived in for a few years, there are missing parts of the building, the attack showing on the grey plain building. Pipes, wires and parts of the walls were missing, easy access for those who dared to challenge death. I look down at Manhattan, fire and smoke billowing from each corner of each street, each store and each building that had been standing proud. Now the buildings were weak and pathetic, like the leaves in autumn many just fell to the ground in a colour red, yellows or oranges, depending on how they were attacked.

I sigh at the sight and shudder under the cold of the sunset, the sunset used to dim out over skylines of beauty, now it just faded out on another day of torture and torment. I look down at my clothing and loathe it. A chiffon dress, cut down the left side, enforced heavily with golden armor and drowning me in the emerald colour I had been forced to wear. My gold shoulder pads weighed me down and my gloves did the same too, my black boots were the only thing I liked as they reached my thigh and had no heel on them. Thanos had ordered me to look like I worked for Loki, much to his approval, so Thanos would not be revealed as the true culprit behind this plot. Loki was a puppet to Thanos, he had failed to take this Earth, they call it Midgard, for his own and so Thanos is taking it for his own instead. I turn my thoughts to the Avengers, my friends who had given me everything and more. I was forced to watch the Mansion crumble, the first 5 floors were demolished and the other 6 managed to hold on. I don't know if they escaped, I don't know if they listened to my advice. I don't even know if Python is alive and breathing.

I decide to head down to see my new 'master' after I see another building fall weakly to the ground, not even putting up a fight. My new masters had been busy putting all the prisoners into their places, some even had real cells due to SHIELD headquarters basement being full of holding cells. I had not been allowed to go there but I knew where they were, Thanos found that handing and his evil grin was plastered on his large figure. I walk fast there, letting the dress flow behind me, exposing some of my thigh and I look around at the previous SHIELD agents they had subjugated due to Loki's magic poking stick that turned you into a zombie, it didn't work on me, thank god. I stare and see a few familiar faces in the labs, doing something, walking around in black jumpsuits and their eyes glowing blue. Some however, don't have glowing eyes and must have given in willingly. I walk onwards to the basement, where I knew Loki would be waiting to bark orders at me. The basement is dark, damp and the holding cells have sliding doors with vents, you can see each one of they've captured. I notice Loki's outrageous reindeer like helmet and walk over to him.

"Where have you been?" Loki says annoyed.

"Checking the labs, might have been useful to know if there were any spies-"

"That is none of your concern, mortal." Loki spat at me, I back away slightly and he smirks. "Could you tend to this prisoner's wounds?" I turn to see a boy with his head split on his left side, his arm bruised and leg almost twisted. "We are not finished with him and require him heal quickly, a vial of your blood should work." Loki hands me a syringe and I nod at him and as I go to walk into the boy's cell he grabs my arm. "What was that?"

"Yes, Master." I say vemonously, I look deep into his emerald eyes as he fastens his grip on my arm, almost breaking it under his force. I wince and breathe heavily, controlling my screams. "Yes…Master." I say more sincerely, he lets go of my arm and I shrug it off. I open the door to the cell and the boy looks at me sombrely. "Hey, I'm Kestrel-"

"What are you?" The boy says nervously, his deep voice surprising me. I then notice his light stubble and dark brown hair, slightly ruffled into spikes, I see his ripped navy shirt and jeans almost cut into shorts.

"I'm human, just like you. Well, with like powers."

"Like an Avenger?" He says unsure, shivering at the sight of me. I sigh and kneel beside him.

"I guess I was one, for a bit." I whisper and smile sadly at him. His hazel eyes look into mine through his blood stained face. "What's your name?"

"Leo." He says quickly. "And yours?"

"I told you, Kestrel."

"That's clearly your codename or whatever." He says, his voice sounding more welcoming. I think and then say something I thought I'd never hear myself say.

"Amaryllis."

"That's an odd name."

"A good friend gave it to me, said it'd suit me. Only makes sense to us." I stop and think about Bruce, he must hate me for leaving him. I had a chance at really being in a family and I blew it. I knew I had to do this though, I knew. I study the wounds on his body and rush out quickly to get some water and a cloth, down the end of the prison cells. I watch as all the desperate faces look at me, some cower in fear and some look at me with sorrow in their eyes. I look away, I couldn't face any of them. I return with a dish of water and a cloth to Leo's cell and he looks at me oddly.

"How did you end up here? You don't have those blue eyes." He raises an eyebrow at me and I bend to his level again. I take the syringe, that hadn't left my hand, and took some of my blood. "Woah, woah, woah. What are you doing?"

"My blood as healing capabilities. It'll work on humans, I was told." I look at his shocked expression. "How about I clean the wounds up and go from there?" He nods and I then proceed to soak the cloth in the water and dab and clean his wounds, it's no disinfectant but it'll do.

"Why are they making you do this?" He whispers as I dab the wound on his face slowly and gently.

"It's a cruel game they play. They hurt you, torture you, test you. Then heal you so they can do it all over again." I say, my tone sounding sadder and sadder each time.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Huh?" I go to clean the cloth.

"How did you end up here?" I sigh and look at Leo, I wring the cloth out and turn to face him.

"Life for a life." I look into his clearer hazel eyes, noticing the familiar warmth, I open up to him. "I was an agent here, in this headquarters."

"Like SHIELD? Everything like that?"

"Yep." I take the cloth and tend to his other wounds "I lived here for years and year until Loki came along and took a good friend of mine away. I ran away to save him, found the Avengers, joined the initiative for a while and..." I then stabbed his leg with my blood and he screamed a little in pain. "now I'm here. Sorry, was the only way." I look at him and place the syringe down next to me. Leo watched me as he felt all the pain begin to calm in his body. He smiled at me and I smiled back.

"It's okay. It's working already."

"It'll take about 28 hours to properly heal up." I smile warmly at him

"Hey if you're and Avenger you must know-"

"Okay, time up boy." Loki burst into the room and snatched Leo away from his cell, grabbing his just healing arm, causing him to wince in pain. "Girl, Thanos wishes to see you. Now." I nod, nervously. Thanos never wanted to see me. I walk out of Leo's cell and on my way to Fury's old office, now Thanos' chaos control room. I walk quietly into the hard floored room, my boots clicking on the floor, the black chair swivels around to show Thanos looking at me emotionless I become tense under his stare.

"Sir Thanos, you wished to see me?" He looked at me, his blue eyes glowing, I've never been terrified of blue eyes until I saw him. Thanos stood up from his chair and walked until he was a few centre meters away from me, his tall figure standing over me, I looked up at him. He glared at me.

"I need some answers." He snarled at me, showing off his menacingly sharp teeth.

"What do you mean, sir?" I say, my voice almost shaking.

"The Avengers, where are they?"

"You mean you didn't find them in the remains of the mansion?" I lie, looking at him with a confused expression. So they did escape, thank god. With that Thanos grabs my throat and picks me up, I scramble for air and to escape from his hand's grasp.

"You little worm, you know their location." He spits in my face and drops me to the ground, I struggle for air and cough as I fall on the floor at his feet, my hands catching my weight. "Tell me. Now."

"I…don't know…what you're….talking about." I say through breaths, I look up at him, begging him to see the lie. He stepped on my left hand and I heard a crack and I yelled in pain. He pressed down harder and harder on my hand as he bent down to my face.

"Last chance, girl." He says inches away from my face, suddenly Thanos shoots up to face his door, I see an alien standing there, speaking a language I've never heard. He looked at them and looks at me. He picks me up from the hair and drags me out of the room. The roots of my hair burn and I scream in pain. He drops me at Loki's feet and I look up and clutch my hair in pain. "The Chitauri are ready to launch the attack on London, by the end of the week, I'll leave you to deal with your pet. Put the Leo boy back in his cell. Stick her where you want, just get those answers." Thanos threatens Loki and he nods confidently. I can always see that Loki is scared of him. Loki looks down at me, the blue eyes piercing into my skin, as our eyes clash I knew I was in for a world of hurt.


	31. Tensions on the Helicarrier

"We're hiding, that's what we're doing! We need to act now!" Bruce shouted angrily at the meeting in the Helicarrier control room, the five superhumans crowded around the oval table surrounded by working SHIELD agents, trying to contact the quiet world below them. Nick Fury was no where to be seen, he had been inside his office for days on end, not making appearances at meetings or to his control panels at the centre of the control room. Maria Hill was seen hurrying around the room, with massive bags under her eyes, not resting until a word was reached to people below. Since Kestrel's warning the Avengers had been living on the main SHIELD headquarters, waiting for the right time to attack the forces that were slowly taking over the world. The televisions showed nothing but blank screens, the occasional broadcast sent out, the radios crackled white noise and most communications were destroyed.

"We don't know where they are based, we need to plan if we're going to do this right, Bruce." Tony said attempting to calm the man down. He'd been one of the calmest of them since Pepper had made it to the Helicarrier, yet he still wondered about his brother and his small family who didn't receive the message to flee. He and Pepper spent most of their time modifying the suit, making it ready for when the time for a comeback happened.

"I agree, if we are to strike, it needs to be effective on the enemies forces and unexpected." Thor said agreeing. Thor was constantly thinking about Thanos and his powers and what Loki was doing working for this man. It was not like Loki to work for someone without tricking or turning the tables by now. Jane was concerned for him, he seemed to do a lot more pacing and zoned out a lot more than usual. With Jane on board, bringing Selvig with her, they had begun research into the method they had used to come to Earth.

"The world thinks we are dead. The element of surprise is easy." Clint said thinking out loud, he'd been on edge since Natasha hadn't been seen in a while, the agent had been training until his hands bled on board, he was left in charge of training emergency recruits that were left and was easily distracted.

"We need to know where they are attacking next, Thanos is always present at these attacks. Take him out or capture him-" Steve began to start talking, attempting to take charge. He had been the stable back-bone that had kept the group assembled, giving them hope and things to focus on.

"We're beyond capturing. He needs to die." Bruce said as he banged on the table they sat around. All people around the table tensed, Bruce looked around at the table. He hadn't slept, he hadn't been able to control he's feelings that well. "Sorry, I'm really-"

"On edge?" Tony finished his sentence. "You need sleep Bruce, when we find Thanos, we'll find Kestrel." He said quietly to his friend, Bruce nodded and walked out of the meeting. His feet clunked on the white floors of the Helicarrier, he walked past rooms that were now empty and it made him sigh. Many agents hadn't made it out of Manhattan alive or free and SHIELD's numbers were down across the world, one young agent was still unconscious in the medical unit and several of the young agents had been captured or killed, Kestrel was one of the few.

He constantly thought of her and what they had in mind for her, he just wanted to hear her play softly on the piano. It comforted him and let him know she was okay. Another thing that troubled Bruce was the state of Python, he was unconscious still, he walked into the medical wing of the Helicarrier and walked straight to Python's bed. He looked down at the pale boy, examining him once again, his skin was healing from the damage, his heart beat had picked up, but yet he still never woke.

"Why aren't you waking up?" Bruce began to talk the unconscious boy. "What do you need?"

"You need to stop checking on him, Doctor." Bruce turned to see Steve standing behind him. "He isn't waking up anytime soon."

"Yes, but why? She gave her life for his. He breaths but doesn't live." Bruce looked down confused at his body again.

"You need to rest, you're no help to any of us like this Banner. If you want to find her-"

"If?" He turned to face the Captain and scowled at him. "If? You know I will do anything to get her back."

"Then rest, you're not helping anyone in this state!" Steve commanded "Please, just sleep." Bruce just looked at him and walked off, he was right even though Bruce didn't want to admit it. He slunked over to the room he had been given, plain white with minimal sets of draws and a simple black wardrobe. In the middle was a double bed, with black duvet sheets. Bruce threw himself onto the bed and eventually fell asleep, thinking only about the safety of Kestrel.

The safety of his Amaryllis.


	32. Hope

**I'M BACKKK!**  
**long break again! school has beeen chaotic and I have another little project on the side...I'm hoping to maybe put up a Sherlock one I have written soon :)**

**I'VE MISSED SOMETHING OUT WHICH IS A VITAL BIT TO PLOT SILLY ME! :P**

**I'VE PUT IT IN NOW :)**

**Read and review please! :D**

* * *

"Tend to this prisoner, then report back to me. I shall be on the 2nd floor, don't be long." Loki looked at me with emotionless eyes and I stared back, my usual emerald eyes fading into a rotting moss coloured green.

"Yes, Master Loki." I bow my head a little and the door slides open for me with my water bowl and cloth in hand, I look down to see the familiar face of Leo, the prisoner I had tended to a few days ago. He is chained by his foot to the wall this time, he tried to escape and was flogged for it. Leo was looking down at the floor when I entered, his head shot up in fear. He looked at me and his shoulders relaxed

"It's you, thank god." Leo said, his voice sounding stronger and stronger. "I had some other person inject me with your blood yesterday, didn't feel the same." He chuckles slightly, he is searching for a bright side to his whole scenario. I look at him and smile, unable to find the words after…yesterday. I pull my hair slightly over my shoulder, hoping to shadow it all. I silently shudder at the memory. I take the cloth and tell him to turn around, I see the cuts, bruises and burns on his back.

"You shouldn't try to run, you've just made it harder for yourself." I say, whilst picking up the cloth and rubbing his back with the cold cloth, he tenses under the touch of the water and I dab it gently with my hand. Leo doesn't talk, he just winces under the touch of the cloth, I wash the blood off and he turns around to face me.

"What happened?" He says to me sombrely and quietly.

"Huh?" I am too busy concentrating on the cloth and he lifts my chin up with his hand, I face him. He moves my hair behind my right ear to expose the almost fresh cut in my skin, reaching from my eye to my chin. Leo looks at it in horror.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" I shake away his hands. I look down at my arms as an indicator for him to see my left hand, wrapped up in green chiffon. The exposed low right arm is burnt and cut, he looks at them in disgust. "Who-"

"Loki and Thanos." I say quietly "Loki, mainly."

"I thought you were like their happy little pet-"

"I told you I wasn't, I don't want to be here but I have to be."

"Why did they do this?"

"Because I didn't tell them what they wanted."

"And that is…?" I pull him closer, so my lips are near his ear

"Location of the Avengers." I whisper quietly. Leo looks at me, confused, it then hits him what I just said. He contains his excitement and I nod at him.

"They are…alive?" he whispers back

"Yes, apparently so."

"This is…I…oh my…"

"Big fan then?"

"They are the only hope we have left." He says softly, I inject him with my blood and tend to the cut on his shoulder. He breaths heavily and winces occasionally. "You got family?" I swallow hard at the question. I don't look up at him, and focus on the cut.

"No." I say honestly. "You?"

"I doubt I still do." I look up at him, he smiles sadly and I embrace him in a hug. An overwhelming emotion of sadness came over my body.

"I'm sorry."

"For what? The hug or-"

"Your family."

"It's okay, I know at least one member of our family is alive, thanks to you." I look at him, my eyebrows raised in confusion.

"What you mean?" I look down at the bowl of water, rinse the cloth and turn to him, his eyebrow raised. I look at his messy brown hair and deep hazel eyes, I see a quality I recognise, but I wait for him to speak.

"I'm Leo Stark, Thomas Stark's son. My dad is Tony's brother."

"You're his…nephew? Tony never-"

"Mentions us, yeah. Protecting his family, he did it well, but not well enough." I stare at him for a while and I put my hand against his cheek, and smile.

"You are a Stark." I say happily "Are you like some techno genius like-"

"My Uncle? Sort of, I can do repairs mainly, not build a suit if you think I can build one. My dad and him worked on the Jericho missile together, he taught me minor weapon repairs, I fixed a few bombs before. Not anything amazing or special like the rest of the Starks."

"How old are you?"

"18, why?"

"That's very impressive, don't beat yourself down about it." I smile at him and he smiles back. And then it hits me. A small flicker of hope hits me and I grin at him. Leo raises his eyebrows and I pull him closer, so his ear is near my mouth. "Can you repair communication technology, ones that use radio signals?" I whisper in his ear. He breaks away and nods, a slight smile on his face. "If I locate it-"Yes. Yes! Does this mean-"

"I think it does." I stand with the water basin under my arm and the bloody cloth swimming in the red stained water. I flatten my dress down and look down at Leo. "I'll be back in a few days, hopefully tomorrow." He nods and me.

"Thank you, Kestrel. Or whatever your name is." He laughs a little and I smile.

"What for?"

"Hope." Leo smiles and I see a spark in his eyes, a hopefulness in his eyes that I am determined to fulfil. Not just for him but for the faces I see as I walk to the end of the hall of cells, the white lights showing clearly what is inside each tiny glass cell. The laminated faces of the people in these cells showed no hope, they were ready to give up. I needed to show them all a form of hope. And there was only one way of doing that. The Avengers.

* * *

I walk quietly around the base, not wanting to draw attention to myself. Luckily knowing the layout of the base is helpful, seeing as every corner I turned there were Chitauri soldiers. I edged into the shadows, against each wall and through every room I could find, the fact I took my shoes off helped and the soldiers were clueless to my stalking around. I had to walk past Thanos' control room to get to the staircase which would lead up to the technology floor, the 5th floor, the plan brewing deep in my head. I took a deep breath and ran from the side I was on, quickly and quietly, not drawing attention to myself. I then heard the voices of Thanos and Loki discussing, loudly, an issue.

"…she possesses powers that we may be able to manipulate." Loki shouted at Thanos.

"Why protect her? You should want her gone, or are you liking your little pet?" Thanos spat at Loki, I should run, I should go.

"Why not execute her in front of the Avengers? Send a message. They are connected to her, hit them where it hurts, Master Thanos." The two fall silent and I swallow heavily. Before I can think I run, quietly and swiftly to another corner before the staircase.

Me, they are discussing me. I know they are. I focus on a few muffled words and hear their constant confusion about the whereabouts of the Avengers, I hurried silently up the stairs. I eventually reached the technology level and walked around, looking for the radio communicator. I finally spot it, a massive silver system with several controls, buttons and dimmed light or mirrors that should hold light. I look around the back and notice everything is plugged in, and the rest of the room has power, the malfunction must have been inside. I needed to think of a way to get Leo here, safe and without suspicion. I look left and then right and leave the floor, heading to the 2nd floor, where Loki is located. He looks at the view from the end of the floor, the walls have been smashed down to reveal a full clear, (apart from the rubble) open floor. I see him there, focused on something, his hands behind his back, his emerald cape covering his hands.

"Master Loki." I greet him normally as I would and bow slightly. He turns to see me and looks at me with a plain expression on his face. "May I be of service tonight?" saying these words made me feel like a trained dog. I felt like one of the Chituari soldiers, no mind just one commander with one goal.

"Remove my cape for me and shoulder armour, I have no need for them." I walk over to him as he allows me to unhinge his cape from his cold armour and take off his shoulder pads, being careful not to catch his hair which was gaining in length. I placed them on a nearby desk, delicately and folded his cape up on the side next to his shining gold shoulder pads. Loki takes off his greaves and gloves and places them on the desk, he walks behind me and stops behind me. "Your hair."

"Yes, Master Loki?" I tense up, knowing he is standing inches behind me. I feel his hand move on my hair, he caresses it in his hands and I feel a slight tug as he plays with it.

"It is almost the colour of fire." He says, mesmerized. I turn slightly and I break his hold on my hair.

"Thank you, Master. On Midgard we call it-" I stop suddenly and notice a sudden change in his eyes, a flash of emerald shows in his eyes. I stop confused and he raises his eyebrows at me. "ginger." His eyes flash-back to blue and he falls to the ground, his hands catching his weight. I fall beside him and look at him, drastically searching for anything that is wrong. I test his pulse and then attempt to lift him up, which is easier than I expected. I support his weight and place him on the sofa on the other side of the floor, I drop Loki on the sofa and step away from him. I watch him drift into an unconsciousness and slip off to catch up on sleep I haven't had in days so I walk up to the 10th floor, which exhausts me further. I walk around the floor, which is mainly destroyed and barely holding together, the walls blasted off or crumbling or half missing. I climb through walls and drag a nearby bed behind a wall, hiding myself just incase Loki wakes up with a bad temper.

I think about what I had just witnessed. Loki has…blue eyes or green eyes? I don't know what this is the sign of or what it means. I think about it as I fall asleep on a bare mattress, welcoming the sleep.

* * *

My body aches and stings as I wake up the next morning, I think it's the morning the sun is up at least, and I fall off the bed and onto the rubble filled floor, the grey pieces of broken wall pressing against my almost exposed thigh. I stand up and look over once again and Manhattan, the grey view showing me what could happen to the rest of the world unless I stopped Thanos. I needed to find a way to get Leo out of his cell. I run down the stairs, almost running out of energy as I reach the 2nd floor. I see Loki pacing from one end to the other, as I enter, he faces me straight away.

"And where have you been?!" He shouts at me, I walk over to him.

"I was…erm-"

"I don't have time for your excuses. I require you to give me a haircut, I must look presentable." Loki says, I raise my eyebrow and he summons a chair from thin air and sits on it. I edge closer towards him, he produces a pair of scissors and a begin to trim his hair, carefully and slowly.

"Master?" I say quietly, chocking on the word more and more "Why are you needing to look presentable?"

"You'll soon see, my dear." I can feel his smirk and I shudder. "Cold?"

"Yes, Master." I answer quickly. "This dress you gave to me is ripped."

"We shall make you a new one before we go to London."

"London, sir?"

"You will be coming with us."

"You don't wish me to stay here, sir?"

"No." he says quickly and I carry on cutting his hair, holding the strands of black in between my fingers and cutting the length to his normal one. "I will require you to tend to the prisoners once I am finished with them-"

"May I…" I gulp then say what I knew would be my only way to get Leo out. "torture a prisoner today?" Loki turns to face me and I look at him, hiding the true emotion I feel.

"And why is that?" Loki says questioning my motives

"Some prisoner in there is giving me lip, I'd like to teach him a lesson." I say confidently, acting a form of anger to him. "I come in and heal him, he treats me like shit. Ungrateful-"

"Which prisoner?"

"Young, brown hair. Around my age, sir. I don't know his name." I say, playing the part still. He looks into my eyes as he makes the scissors disappear from my hands, he is clearly satisfied with the job I have done and now stares at me.

"I can grant you this once. Take him to the 10th floor and try not to get the blood on the walls." I nod at him, hiding the inner smile I am feeling.

"Will that be all, Master?"

"Yes, for now. I have much to prepare for, for London."

"Won't I need to be preparing for London, Master?"

"No, my dear," He walks closer to me and puts his cold hand on my cheek, letting his fingers run over the scar he gave to me on my face, it was healing quickly. "we just need you looking your best. That mark I gave you, it has healed quickly."

"Yes, Master," I say uncomfortably under his touch "it is a power I have gained-"

"And the burns on your arm?" I show him my arm and the burns have almost disappeared. "Interesting, yes." He places a kiss on my forehead, and my body shivers is disgust. "Cold still?"

"Yes." I say simply.

"We shall sort this out in a few days, now go. Tend to the prisoners and take care of your personal vendetta." I nod and quickly leave the room. I go straight to the cells and walk into Leo's cell, storming in as Loki would. He stutters a few words and I ignore him completely, I needed to get him to the 5th floor. And fast. I take him by the collar and begin walking, then I run into Thanos, the one person I didn't want to see. I run slightly into him, which would have broken my shoulder if I was running.

"What are you doing with one of our prisoners, girl?" He questions me, Leo begins trembling. Im still holding him violently in my hands.

"Master Loki said I could settle this. It is personal, this," I stop to look at him in disgust "boy, has been insulting me. I wish to teach him a lesson. With my own hands." I look at Leo and then back to Thanos, my eyes willing him to believe me with anger and disgust.

"Very well. Seems you are finally seeing the light." Thanos then stepped to the right to let us through. I walk quicker now, reaching the staircases one at a time, finding it hard to carry Leo around with me too. We reach the 5th floor and I close the door.

"What…the-" Leo began to start

"I had to make it convincing Leo." He just nodded and he got up on his feet. I directed him to the communicator radios. "Take a look." Leo clambers towards the communicators and pushes it far out as he can and looks behind it, his eyebrows crease and his hands are caressing the wires and smoothly moves his hands from the front to the back. I watch the door and my whole body tenses.

"It's an easy fix, with a screwdriver, the power and some time."

"Not an easy fix then…I can get to the power easily."

"How?" I point to the power box on the same wall the communicator "Oh, sorry I'm a bit-"

"Tired? Beaten? Me too, Leo. Screwdriver is over the other side, I'll get it now." I walk quickly to the side of the room, reaching a toolbox scattered over the floor, I reach for a screwdriver and pick up a saw too. I run back over, my feet barely making a sound.

"What is so important for you to fight for?" He said whilst he unscrewed the back of the highest radio and slowly worked his way down. "You haven't got a family, which would be an obvious motive."

"Just someone-"

"Oh, a boyfriend?" He said, a slight disappointment in his voice.

"No, someone…I don't know who he is to me but I feel like something could come from it." I look at Leo as he carefully squints at the medium radio on the stack. "What are you fighting for?"

"The family I lost." He said quickly, Leo handed me the screwdriver I bend down to retrieve it from his hands, he delves into the stacks of the metal boxes. I watch him carefully for a few minutes and he then turns to me and nods, I run over to the power box, I trip with excitement and he screws it back up. Leo turns and then nods again, a grin on his face. The radios buzz to life and I smile, triumph on my face. Leo then hands me a small microphone, much like the ones the football commentators use. I close it close to my mouth and speak, whilst Leo spins a little dial on the side of the boxes.

"Hello…can anyone hear us?" I say, quietly. "Please, if anyone can hear us, make contact. We need help, please. Avengers. Please." I say desperately. Leo hands the headphones to me, I'm amazed at his quick working, he is definitely a Stark. I smile at him nervously. I put the headphones on. "Please, we need help-"

"Hello?" I hear a familiar voice. I look at Leo, my jaw drops. I pull him over and he presses his ear to the side of the headphone, our arms touching.

"This is Captain America-"

"STEVE!" I say loudly than I wanted to. "Steve, please, it's Kestrel."

"Kestrel? You're alive?" Steve says happily. "Bruce! Get in here now! How did you get contact, we haven't been able to contact for ages!"

"I made a friend." I hand the microphone to Leo. I nod as he shakes.

"Hi…it's Leo. Leo Stark. Is my uncle there?" He says quietly, and i edge closer to him, so he can hear the response.

"Yes, yes. My god, yes he's here!" Steve says overjoyed.

"Steve, they are going to strike London. End of the week." I say

"We can't just leave everything here-"

"You need a chance to strike and this is it. I'm begging you. I need you, all of you."

"Why?" Steve says concerned, I breathe heavily

"Because I'm dead if you don't come." Leo looks at me and there is a pause. "I heard Thanos and Loki talking, I'm dead unless you take them down now."

"Kestrel?" I heard Bruce's voice and I begin to cry a little.

"Bruce, I'm sorry. I had no choice." I weep slightly.

"I forgive you, Kestrel."

"Please, Bruce, call me Amaryllis. I finally have a name to belong to, thanks to you. I will put this right, I swear. Is Tony there?"

"He's sleeping at the moment, what is it?"

"I have his nephew, Leo, with me."

"Did the rest of his family make it?" I look at Leo and he nods.

"No, his brother and his wife is dead." I hold Leo's hand and hold him closer. "The world needs the Avengers, please. They plan to strike London at the end of the week, you need to be there. Or…"

"Say no more. Be safe, be careful."

"I'm careful enough, I'm alive. Please Bruce, be safe."

**I do this alot...creating a friend for the OC already. **

**tell me if you are enjoying this because I've stopped for a while i'm sorry :( **

**PLEEEASSEE REVIEW **

**Chaos xxx**


	33. London Part 1

The communicator buzzes out and the earphones go quiet. I look at Leo and he embraces me in a massive hug, the tears happily falling from my face. We look at each other.

"Hope, at last." He says and I nod at him, speechless. "So…you're not fighting for a guy-"

"I'm fighting for the chance to belong, Bruce gives me that." I say quietly "I want a family, I never had one."

"What?" I shake the embrace off.

"Look, it's a long story and I need to make it look like I tortured you in here. Just let me cover this place-"

"What?" He says for the second time.

"I can heal, I gotta make it look bloody."

"No, not your blood alone."

"I'll heal it back though, I can regenerate blood cells and skin tissue."

"But it'll hurt you."

"I'm already in pain, I'm working for that…sick bastard."

"No, just no. It's gotta look like I'm cut anyway-"

"You can't regenerate. No way." I look at him, compassion in his eyes. He grabs my hips and pulls me to his lips. At first I'm shocked but then I welcome the kiss, wanting the passion not to end, I run my fingers through his hair and he pulls me in closer to him. I wrap my arms around his neck and drape off him, he tilts me slightly, almost like a romantic film.

"Well, well well." I hear the cold icy voice of Loki and drop my arms from Leo immediately, I face Loki straight away and bow my head.

"Torture seems to have a new form. It appears even I would enjoy this form of torture."

"I apologise, Master." I say quietly.

"It was my fault, I was-" Leo began, but I knew what'd happen if he admitted to it.

"No, it was my fault. I don't know what came over me. Forgive me, Master. " I say and I look at Leo. He looks at me and I nod silently at him. "Punish me however you want, I will not fight back."

"2nd floor of this building. Now. You, boy, you will remain here, locked." He scowls at me and his now blue eyes pierce into my emerald ones and I feel fear in my body. I walk up to the 2nd floor, looking at Leo with sympathy in my eyes. I knew I was in for a world of hell.

* * *

"Your majesty, please. Trust us, you need to evacuate to Switzerland." Steve says, dressed in his American patriotic armour, the Queen of England was in shock from the bright colours but nodded and walked out of the room, taking her family with her into a helicopter to a safe location in Switzerland. The Avengers took the call from Kestrel to get over to London as soon as they could. Clint and Thor were busy evacuating the citizens from the streets whereas Steve, Tony and Bruce had been based in Buckingham Palace to keep an eye on the city and make sure the royal family escape unharmed by Thanos and Loki's attempts to ruin the world and build a new empire on top of the ruins.

"She's just left now. One problem down." Tony said as he flew around the palace, guarding the perimeter. "Hawkeye, Thor status?"

"Almost everyone out, driving off to Wales and Scotland." The message was received by all the Avengers, ear pieces were made by Stark the second he knew a member of his family was safe. He became determined. Steve looked to Bruce who was shaking nervously in a royal red coloured seat in the many halls of the palace.

"Bruce, she'll be safe." Steve put his hand on Bruce's shaking shoulder.

"You can't promise that." Bruce stood up and looked over the skyline of London. "It's a beautiful city, really."

"We can save it, we're already here. We're ready."

"What happens if…the other guy gets near her?"

"You can control it. If you feel that Kestrel-"

"Amaryllis. Yes, I know what I am going to when this is over. Save her from SHIELD as well as give her a place she can belong."

"Amaryllis Banner…nice." Bruce looks back to Steve and grins. When everything was solved, when Kestrel was safe, he was going to adopt her as his own daughter. Making SHIELD's power worthless, due to him taking full responsibility of her, and both their dreams of having a family to belong to. Together. Hawkeye exposed the fortunate loop hole in their plans and told Bruce the good news, he was set on making Kestrel his daughter since. Providing she was still alive. Then the ground shook, you could even feel it from the highest floor from the palace, the chandeliers shook, the portraits trembled and the lamp nearest Steve collapsed on the floor and smashed spark of glass.

"Erm…guys. Incoming." Tony said, shocked. "It's-"

"An early attack." Steve finished the Iron Man's sentence. Steve pressed his index finger to his ear and connected to Hawkeye. "Hawk, get the remaining citizens to safety."

"On it, Cap." Clint said quickly. More bombs collided with the ground, and the aliens began flying into the streets of London. Bruce and Steve ran out of the palace within a few seconds after seeing the grey Chituari warriors enter the streets, stopping a few street turns from the palace, Tony swooping down to join them on the ground. The 3 men looked at the hoard of grey creatures, marching and stomping through the streets, ready for a war. Thor and Hawkeye, soon joined their side and the Avengers had assembled, ready to strike. All apart from Bruce, he stayed calm as he could considering the angry soldiers heading towards them.

"Stop! Stop." said a deep voice from the crowd, echoing throughout the small and larger shops on the grey concrete roads. The grey creatures stopped a few meters away from the small group of Avengers, facing them, 5 against…an army. Then a red skinned creature stepped out from the grey cloud of Chituari, the creature was a standing alien man, covered in a golden armour that covered his un-humanly muscular body, he wore a helmet around his head that was almost a crown. "It is finally good to meet you…the mighty Avengers. I am-"

"Thanos." Bruce said, his anger almost bursting in his voice. "Where is she?! Where is Kestrel?"

"Well, someone doesn't mess around-"

"You don't want to mess around with me, it won't end well for you." Thanos laughed and clicked his fingers, Loki stood forward his battle armour shining, dragging a orange haired girl, her hands binded with a chain, glowing in green. Her orange hair was messy, her feet bare, her once elegant dress ripped to expose her stomach and her left thigh. She was cut from her chin to her knees, bruised and breathing heavily, Loki released her from his grasp and she fell to the floor. Her once emerald eyes glancing at Bruce. "Amaryllis!" He cried and went to run forward to her, the Chituari growled and raised their weapons. Bruce looked at Thanos, his eyes slowly glowing green. "What do you want, Thanos?!" He shouts desperately.

"Everything, this realm. And more, you know this." Thanos looks at the Avengers, without bruises or cuts, he is displeased by the perfections and smiles to himself. "Step down and Loki won't kill your precious…Amaryllis." Loki edges towards Kestrel, grabs her by her hair and produces a dagger to her neck, she squirms slightly.

"Please…just end this. Now, I'll be fine." She says, struggling for air and her cuts bleeding greatly. "Bruce…do whats right." Loki presses the knife to her neck, The Avengers pause and turn to Bruce, sombre looks in their eyes. The longest second goes past and before they could say anything. She spoke loudly. "LEO! NOW!" then Thanos fell to his knees, causing Loki to drop the girl, she scrambled up to her feet and directed the Avengers to a nearby shop, to regroup.


End file.
